


The Kingdom of Ice and Fire

by WhiteDragonWolf



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Boatbaby (Game of Thrones), Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Jonerys, Night King is the main antagonist, The Real Ending!, fuck D&D, not for fans of Sansa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-04-22 17:08:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 80,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22194265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteDragonWolf/pseuds/WhiteDragonWolf
Summary: Jon and Daenerys have finally arrived at Winterfell. The Great War was coming and they intended to make sure that the living win. The two of them must overcome the Night King and their other enemies to bring Spring and peace to a country that has seen too much war. Will they succeed or will the Night King bring about an eternal winter?
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters, Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth, Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen
Comments: 464
Kudos: 301
Collections: ASOIAF Jon x Dany





	1. Arrival of the Wolf King and Dragon Queen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [iia_ao3ac](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iia_ao3ac/gifts), [CinnamonBurns](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CinnamonBurns/gifts), [ashleyfanfic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashleyfanfic/gifts), [justwanderingneverlost](https://archiveofourown.org/users/justwanderingneverlost/gifts), [Longclaw_1_6](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Longclaw_1_6/gifts), [ThatBishLizzie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatBishLizzie/gifts), [1thirteen3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/1thirteen3/gifts), [VampAngel79](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VampAngel79/gifts).

> Hello everyone!  
All of us went through a tragedy this year. Game of Thrones, my favorite show, was completely and utterly destroyed by that shitshow that is called Season 8. I have never seen such a disgrace on television. All those plot twists for the sake of plot that made absolutely no sense, destruction of character arcs, foreshadowing and development were all thrown out the window. And the worst thing is, my favorite characters, Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, were deprived of everything that made us love them. Dany became a "mad tyrant" and Jon a weak and miserable idiot who was exiled back to the Wall. I was so depressed after that finale. I cried myself to sleep because of what happened to Dany and Jon.  
But I recovered. A big shoutout to Longclaw 1-6 and Dakkaman777! They are two good friends of mine and honestly 2 of the best writers I have ever seen. I stuck by with Longclaw's phenomenally epic story "An Empire of Ice and Fire" since he began 2 years ago. Reading it helped me recover. Then Dakkaman wrote his amazing story "The Long Night That Was Promised" and I started feeling great about Jon and Dany again. I promised myself that if the show ended horribly and it did, I would write my own ending. And Longclaw and Dakkaman just inspired me even more to do it! You can also thank them for this story being posted because I was going to keep it to myself, but they wanted to read it and so here I am! Honestly if you read this, I hope you enjoy it too! So if you love Jon and Dany and wanted to see them get a happy ending and a much better story than what those two dumb fuckers D&D gave us, you have come to the right place!  
Just a warning. If you are a fan of Sansa, do not, I repeat, DO NOT read this. Season 8 made me loathe Sansa so much. The way she disrespected Dany even though Dany came to help, insulting her to her people in the crypts when Dany was out there fighting, betraying Jon's trust and breaking a promise she made, and she got off scotch-free. So rewatching the show with my best friend, I saw more negativity with Sansa's character. She's the 'good guy' who will become evil. This story is not kind at all to Sansa, so if you are a Sansa stan, then please do not bother reading this.  
And now it's finally here on AO3! I have met and befriended a lot of amazing people here! I hope you all enjoy this!  
Now let's begin!

Arya pushed her way through the tight crowd, as they awaited for the arrival of her brother and the Dragon Queen. Arya made her way to the front of the crowd staring at the most important people of the land. Her beloved brother, Jon Snow, had finally returned from his journey south. Arya smiled and was close to tears. She hadn't seen him for eight years and now he's finally here. Right beside him, was the legendary Dragon Queen, Daenerys Targaryen. Arya stared in awe at her. She was easily the most beautiful woman Arya had ever seen, even more beautiful than Sansa. Daenerys's beauty could not be described by words alone. Arya couldn't wait to meet her. Daenerys is a descendant of her favorite heroine, Visenya Targaryen. Behind Jon and Daenerys was a man Arya thought was dead: Sandor Clegane. She left the Hound for dead. But here he was in the flesh. Arya wouldn't tell him, but she was glad to see him alive. Behind the Hound was another person Arya hadn't seen in so long: Gendry. He looks good she thought. She would talk with him later and ask him what's happened since the last time they spoke. Suddenly Arya heard a roar and then flying overhead were two dragons. Arya smiled in wonder at the two magnificent creatures. Dragons were said to be extinct and yet here they were at her home. Maybe Daenerys would allow her to touch one if they became friends. She was excited. Her favorite brother Jon was finally home, and she would get to meet someone who is like her childhood heroine, Visenya Targaryen.

* * *

Daenerys saw the stares. There were many who stared at her in wonder, but there were also many who looked at her in fear and mistrust. Jon had warned her,  
"Northerners don't trust outsiders too much at first. But they will love you once you show them who you really are."  
Dany was determined to show them that she would protect them and make their lives better. She knew that some already did seem to like her, but she will show everyone that she is their friend, not their enemy. She has come to save them, not conquer them.

* * *

Jon was happy to be home, now with more support in the defense of the North. He had brought home with him the greatest army the world has ever seen. Two full grown dragons. And the beautiful, intelligent, strong, and kind Dragon Queen. He has fallen completely and utterly in love with her. He didn't think he would ever love again after Ygritte, but what he felt for Daenerys was much stronger than what he felt for Ygritte. She would always have a place in his heart, but his heart was completely stolen by Daenerys Targaryen.  
When they finally arrived inside, Jon saw someone he had not seen for so very long. His little brother Bran. Jon immediately climbed off his horse and ran over to Bran. He embraced him tightly and kissed his forehead.  
"Look at you Bran! You've grown so big!" Jon exclaimed. Bran gave Jon a warm smile.  
"It's been a long time brother, I've missed you."  
Jon smiled back, and then he turned his gaze over to Sansa. He walked over to her and hugged her. But little did he know, Sansa was striking a hateful glare towards Daenerys. There was once face Jon didn't see. The face he wanted to see the most. His little sister Arya.  
"Where's Arya?" asked Jon.  
"Lurking about." answered Sansa.  
Daenerys was mesmerized by the beauty of Winterfell. She was also excited to meet the family of the man she loves. Jon gestured to her to come and greet his family. A little girl was staring at Dany, not with dislike, but curiosity. Dany could tell that this girl was a strong lady. But Dany focused on Jon.  
"My queen, meet my brother Brandon Stark and my sister Sansa Stark, the Lady of Winterfell. Bran and Sansa, Queen Daenerys of House Targaryen." Daenerys flashed a warm smile towards the both of them. Bran smiled back but Sansa had a cold look on her face.  
"Thank you for inviting my people and I into your home, Lady Stark. The North is truly as beautiful as your brother claimed. As are you." greeted Dany warmly and politely. Sansa gave a polite smile.  
"Winterfell is yours, Your Grace." She said in a condescending tone. Daenerys didn't like the tone Sansa gave, and it diminished her warm smile off her face. Bran spoke up.  
"Jon, my Queen, we don't have much time left. The dead have breached the Wall. They are marching South as we speak.", he said. Jon and Daenerys shared a shocked look.  
"How?" asked Jon. Bran turned to Dany and gave her a sad look.  
"Daenerys, I have something terrible to tell you. The Night King has Viserion. He's turned him into a wight. He used him to destroy the Wall.", explained Bran.  
Daenerys gave a look of despair. Her poor baby was now a slave to death, she thought. She had to keep herself from crying. She didn't think that Viserion would become one of them. The thought of seeing her beloved dragon as a monstrous creature was too much. But anger also filled her. She was going to make that monster pay for what he did to her baby. She and Jon shared a look. It was time. The ultimate war for the fate of Westeros was finally coming.  
"My lords. My ladies. Gather into the Great Hall. We must begin discussing our strategies for the coming war." said Jon. At his words, the lords and ladies began heading into the Great Hall. Sansa went ahead while wheeling Bran into the Hall. Jon turned to Dany and offered her his arm.  
"It's time, my love." he said.  
"Remember what I said to you on the boat my love. We will destroy the Night King and we will do it together." said Dany as she took his arm and he lead her into the Great Hall of Winterfell.


	2. Councils, Reunions, and Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A council is had, old loved ones reunite, and New friends meet! Let's see how Jon and Dany can handle the Northern lords and Sansa!

The Great Hall of Winterfell was quickly filling up with many of the Northern Lords and Ladies. At the head table sat Jon, Daenerys, Sansa, Tyrion, and Bran. Grey Worm and Ser Jorah were both standing at the left side of the table, close to where their Queen was sitting. Lyanna Mormont, Lord Manderly, Ned Umber, Alys Karstark, and many of the other lords and ladies were spread out, sitting on different benches and tables. They were discussing their current predicament: the dead.

“As soon as we heard about the falling of the Wall, I called all of our banners up to Winterfell” explained Sansa. “Many of them have arrived but there are still some people who have not made it. Lord Umber.” The little lord stepped forward when his name was called. “When can we expect your people to arrive?”

“We need more horses and wagons my lady.” said the young lord. Lord Umber turned to Jon. “And my lord.” And then he sheepishly turned to Daenerys. “And my queen. Sorry.” Daenerys gave the young lord a kind smile to reassure him.

“My Dothraki have plenty of horses and wagons. We shall give you as many as you require, my lord.” Daenerys kindly offered to the young lord.

“Thank you, my queen. I will put them to good use.” Lord Umber then left the Great Hall to prepare for his journey back to Last Hearth to get his people.” While the young lord left, Jon addressed Maester Wolkan.

“Maester Wolkan, we need to send ravens to the remaining castles of the Night’s Watch. Tell them that they must retreat here to Winterfell. There’s no point in manning the castles anymore, we will make our stand here.” Jon ordered

“At once, Your Grace.” Maester Wolkan bowed politely and then left to go deliver the Ravens to the remaining castles of the Night’s Watch. It was then that Lady Lyanna Mormont stood up.

“But you are not a king anymore, are you Jon Snow? You left a Winterfell a king but you came back not as a king. You bent the knee to Daenerys Targaryen. We named you King in the North, so why would you bend the knee?” This statement caused many of the other Northern lords to pound the tables in anger and shout their agreement. Jon’s decision to bend the knee was not well-received by the proud and stubborn Northern Lords.

Jon stood up, took a deep breath, and began to explain himself. “Yes, you all named me King in the North and it was the honor of my life. But when I left Winterfell, I told all of you that that we needed allies, or we would not survive.” Jon hoped that this would appeal to their sense of survival, but a few unknown lords began shouting and throwing insults.

“She’s the Mad King’s daughter! We can’t trust her!”

“She’s just a foreign whore with savages and eunuchs!”

“She’ll order her monsters to burn us in our halls!”

Fed up with the insults, Jon slammed his fist down hard and shouted, “SILENCE!!!”. The lords quieted down. Jon’s rage was not something they wanted to stoke. Jon closed his eyes and started calming down. He turned to Dany who gave him a loving smile, one that he returned. Her gorgeous face was enough to calm him down. Not noticing Sansa staring daggers at him and Dany, Jon turned back to the lords. “I did not bend the knee on a whim. I refused to at first. She could have had me burned alive or beheaded but she didn’t. If she was like her father, I would be nothing but ashes right now. Even though I had not bent the knee, Queen Daenerys still allowed me to mine the dragonglass and even gave me help. Later I travelled North of the Wall to bring a wight to show proof to the South that the dead were real. We got cornered, and we nearly were killed by the Walkers, until Daenerys came with her dragons and saved our lives. Saving us cost her one of her dragons. She did not have to come and save me, because I was not her loyal subject, but she did. Later she told me that she will help me destroy the Night King and his army, and she did not demand that I bend the knee. It was then that I truly saw what kind of leader and person Daenerys is, and that’s why I bend the knee. She has shown that she is kind, just, and willing to risk her life for her people and her allies. She did not force me to bend the knee, she earned it.”

The Great Hall was in silence at Jon’s passionate defense of Daenerys. Daenerys herself was almost in tears. This wonderful man who she loved with all her heart just told them all what kind of person and ruler he saw her as. She then stood up. “My lords, I know you don’t know me, and you have good reason not to trust a southern ruler after what you have suffered through. But I swear to you, I am not your enemy. I have not come to conquer you, I came to save you. I have brought my Unsullied and Dothraki, and my dragons, all to help you survive against the ultimate enemy.” Some of the lords started warming up to her, though some were still murmuring. Lyanna Mormont stood up.

“Your Grace, you are right. We don’t know you and after the Mad King, Joffrey, and Cersei we are not inclined to trust a southern ruler. But I know and trust Jon Snow. And if what he said is true, and you saved his life before he even bent the knee, then House Mormont will be honored to fight alongside you in this war.” Lyanna said. Daenerys gave her a smile and an appreciative nod, which Lyanna returned. Lord Manderly then stood up and began speaking.

“Lady Mormont is right. Queen Daenerys, you have saved our King’s life even when you did not have to. A tyrant like Cersei would not have done so. And you are here to help us against the dead. House Manderly will proudly fight beside you and yours!” Many of the other lords started shouting in agreement. While it would be a while before they would proudly call her queen, this was a good start for Daenerys. However, the happy moment was soured by Sansa.

“Well there is a problem. How are we meant to feed the “greatest” army in the world? I ensured our stores would last through winter, but I didn’t account for Dothraki, Unsullied, and two full-grown dragons.” The hall quieted down. “What do dragons eat anyway?” Sansa sneered in a spiteful tone.

“Whatever they want.” Daenerys said. The two women turned and stared at each other coldly. But Jon glared at Sansa.

“If you had asked nicely, Sansa, then we could have told you that Daenerys has brought provisions from Dragonstone and the Reach to feed not only her army, but also ours.” Sansa turned away and looked down. Jon just scolded her like a child. I’m just looking out for the North. This Dragon Queen is just a foreign bitch who will cause problems, Sansa thought.

“It’s been a long day. We will meet again tomorrow to start preparing our strategies. If you will excuse me, I will show Queen Daenerys and her people to their chambers.” With that, the lords and ladies began to disperse and attend their own matters. Jon took Dany’s hand and led her out of the Hall.  


* * *

Later, Jon and Dany were sitting by the fire in the Jon’s chamber. They were cuddling and holding hands. “You didn’t think I meant that you would have your own chambers away from me did you?” he smirked as he kissed her neck. Dany giggled.

“Mmm, if you thought that I was sleeping apart from you, my handsome wolf, then you are not as smart as I believed you are.” She smiled and kissed Jon, sliding her tongue in his mouth. The two lovers continued their passionate kiss before breaking apart for air. Dany had her gloves and cloak removed. “I want you Jon. I want to make love to you.”

“I promise tonight we will be together, and I am gonna make you roar, my dragon.” Dany giggled at Jon’s statement. “But first, there is somewhere I have to go.”

“But Jon, I don’t want you to leave.” She playfully groaned. Jon kissed her before he promised her that he will be back as soon as he can.

“You get comfortable my love. I’ll be back before you know it.” Sharing one last kiss, Jon put his cloak and gloves back on before getting up. He gave Dany a loving smile as he exited the room.

Dany threw herself in bed. _‘He’ll make me roar. But I will make him howl.’_ she thought seductively. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this happy. Not with Drogo, not with Daario, but in her heart, she knew that she belonged with Jon Snow. While she lay in bed, she heard scratching at the door. “Scratching?” Dany got up from bed and walked to the door. She cautiously opened it and was greeted by one of the most beautiful creatures she had ever seen in her life. It was a very large wolf, who was practically as tall as her. The wolf had gorgeous snow-white fur, and his eyes were red. Dany remembered Jon talking about his direwolf when they were lying in bed. “Ghost?” Dany asked the wolf. The wolf slowly approached her. Dany felt a little nervous. Ghost was almost as big as her, and his teeth were razor-sharp. But then she remembered how Jon had touched Drogon. Slowly, Dany reached out to Ghost offering her hand. Ghost slowly approached her. He put his snout on Dany’s hand and sniffed her. And then something amazing happened. Ghost licked her hand and then he began licking her face. Dany giggled as she began petting Ghost, scratching his ears and rubbing his belly. It was strange. Ghost was no dragon, but she already felt a strong bond with the beautiful wolf. “Perhaps it’s the same bond that my dragons felt with Jon.”  


* * *

In the godswood, Jon stood right in front of the heart tree. He always loved this place and he wanted to see it before he returned to his gorgeous Dany. It was quiet and peaceful. Until…

“You used to be taller.” A familiar voice said. Jon turned around and saw someone he had missed so very much these past 8 years. His little sister Arya.

“How did you sneak up on me?”

“How did you survive a knife through the heart?”

“I didn’t.”

Arya’s stoic face suddenly turned into a bright, wide smile as she ran to her beloved big brother. She practically threw herself into his arms and he lifted her off her feet. The two siblings shared an enormous embrace.

Jon almost cried. He finally had his beloved little Arya back. He missed her so much. He put her down after holding her for a few moments longer. He cupped the back of her head. “Look at you. You’ve grown.”

“She barely did.” she said playfully. The two of them laughed.

“You still got your Needle?”

“Right here.” She took out the sword that he gave her so many years ago and handed it to him. “Needle has helped me a lot.” she said. Jon handed it back to her. “You have your own sword?” she asked. Jon took his sword out and handed it to her.

“It’s called Longclaw. It’s Valyrian steel.” He watched as she examined it. “You jealous?” he asked playfully. She smirked at him and handed Longclaw back. She then took out the knife that Bran gave her. The one she used to cut the throat of that lying, treacherous snake Littlefinger. “I have one.”

“What are you gonna call it?” asked Jon

“I think Wolf Fang.”

“I like it.”

Arya then asked Jon about Daenerys. “You bent the knee to Daenerys Targaryen.”

“Yes. Are you mad at me for that too?”

“No. I saw her. She’s really beautiful. And her dragons were a sight to behold. She’s like my hero Visenya Targaryen.”

Jon was happy that at least his little sister has taken his side. Just like she always had when they were young. “She’s an extraordinary person.”

“I do have one question though. You knew that the Northern Lords didn’t want you to bend the knee to a southern ruler. But you still did. Why?”

“I didn’t bend the knee right away. If she were like her father, I would have been ashes then and there. But instead, she allowed me to mine the dragonglass. And later when I went North of the Wall to capture a wight, we were cornered by the Night King. We would have died, but then she showed up with her dragons and she saved us. The Night King killed one of her dragons. The dragons are her children Arya. She loves them deeply. Losing one of them was so hard on her. It was then that I saw what kind of person she was. She saved my life, even when she didn’t need to. And she promised to help us against the dead, even before I bent the knee. She is someone who is deserving of loyalty. She earned my loyalty. And I know she can earn the loyalty and respect of the rest of the North.”

Arya looked at Jon in amazement. “She saved your life?”

“Aye, she did. But she lost her dragon as a result.”

“I have to thank her when I meet her.”

“Would you like me to introduce you to her or do you want to meet her on your own?” Jon asked.

“I’ll seek her out tomorrow. Besides I think you’ll be wanting her all for yourself tonight.” Arya smirked at Jon mischievously. Jon blushed. “She’s beautiful brother. And you look so happy with her. So, if you trust and love her, then I will give her a chance. “

“Thank you, little sister.” Jon replied gratefully. Jon gave her another hug. He kissed Arya on the forehead, and then the two walked together back inside. Jon walked Arya to her room and bid her good night. Now Jon was going back to his Queen.  


* * *

Jon made it back to his chambers and he heard Dany’s enchanting laugh. When he opened the door, he was greeted by a magical sight. His beloved Dany was petting his beloved direwolf Ghost. “So, you two have finally met.” he said

“He was scratching at the door. And he’s amazing Jon!” said Dany as she continued to pet Ghost. Jon walked over and gave Ghost a pet too. Ghost made a sound of happiness. The petting of his master and his master’s beautiful mate felt wonderful.

“Alright boy. It’s my turn with Dany now. Go on.” Jon ordered. Though Ghost did not enjoy losing the warm touch of Daenerys, he was completely loyal to his master. He gave Dany one last lick before he bounded out the door.

“Mmm. You never cease to amaze me, my handsome wolf. Now take your clothes off and come keep your Queen company.” She said seductively.

Jon hastily took off all of his clothes before helping Dany get rid of all her underclothes. He then kissed her passionately, pushing her back into bed. As he lay on top of her, he knew that he had found his soulmate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as you saw, the council was pretty much the same as in the show. But the northerners won't just be petty, ungrateful, xenophobic douchebags like in S8. Some will be but many will give Dany a chance. Sansa is just the biggest bitch ever, isn't she! I loved writing the meeting between Ghost and Dany. We were robbed of that! And I am proud of the Jon and Arya reunion here! I was massively disappointed by it in S8, so I took the liberty of making it much better and more realistic. I hope you all enjoyed!


	3. Delivery for a Lioness, and a Rescue for a Kraken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now we take a break from the North and see how things are going in the South!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm back with another chapter to my story! I gotta say, I'm amazed at how many people are reading and loving this. I started writing this for myself but my good buddies Longclaw 1-6 and Dakkaman777 told me that they wanted to read it too. So now here it is and I'm happy that many people are loving it! Big shout out to Longclaw, Dakkaman, and Elphaba818! They have given me great and helpful advice and my story is coming out better!  
Here we are taking a break from Winterfell and seeing how things are in the South. The chapter will mostly play out like Episode 1 but with my own changes. Don't worry, I promise that soon we will see some really big changes! Please enjoy the chapter and leave a comment!

Standing on the walls of King’s Landing in her black dress, was the evil Mad Queen Cersei Lannister. Already despised long before ascending to power, Cersei proved to be as despicable as her son Joffrey, and the true successor to the Mad King. Secretly, many of the people in King’s Landing were hoping that Daenerys Targaryen would win. They had seen her at the Dragonpit meeting and they were mesmerized by her beauty and her dragons. Cersei rules through fear and so if anyone was caught speaking in a positive light about Daenerys, Cersei would have them brutally murdered, often by having the Mountain crush their heads or cleave them in two. Speaking of which, the Mountain stood as tall and as imposing as ever. He was covered in thick black armor from head to toe. The only thing anyone could see were his cold, blood-red eyes through his helmet.

Cersei smiled. She has gotten a fresh army. _Hopefully enough to crush those filthy Starks and Targaryens and their monsters. _Cersei was broken out of her thoughts by the voice of her Hand, Qyburn.

“Your Grace, I’m afraid I bring terrible news. The dead have broken through the Wall.” he informed her. Instead of being shocked, Cersei gave a satisfying smirk.

“Good.” she said before walking off to her throne room with her Queensguard quickly following behind. Qyburn was surprised by his queen’s calmness to the news, but he quickly followed her too.

* * *

A thousand ships with the kraken sigil were returning to King’s Landing. Euron Greyjoy had completed his task. He has brought the Golden Company from Essos to help Queen Cersei destroy her enemies. Euron was standing at the helm of his ship with Harry Strickland, the Captain of the Golden Company. Strickland is a tall man with blond hair and blue eyes. He was also wearing golden armor, befitting the name of the mercenary company. Euron smirked at the captain before heading down to his quarters to speak with his prisoner.

Yara Greyjoy was tied up and she had bruises from Euron’s “fun” with her. She glared hatefully at her uncle as he sat down next to her. She asked him “Why don’t you just get it over with and kill me?”

“We are family niece. The last Greyjoys left in the world. Well, the ones with balls anyway.” Euron chuckled. “Besides, if I kill you, I won’t have anyone to talk to. My crew is made up of mutes. It gets pretty lonely at sea.” said Euron as he took a sip from his wine sack.

“Are we in King’s Landing?

“Mmm-hhm.”

“You know you picked the losing side, right Uncle? Daenerys will win the war, and she will kill you and that mad bitch that you follow.” Yara said. Euron simply smirked at her.

“If that’s true, then I can simply sail the Iron Fleet somewhere else. But first,” Euron swiftly got up and looked at Yara with a crazed expression, “I’m going to fuck the Queen.” Euron got up and left Yara.

* * *

In the throne room of the Red Keep, Cersei sat on the Iron Throne as Euron brought Captain Strickland before her. Qyburn stood at her side with the Queensguard standing guard around the Throne. Cersei spoke first. “You brought 20,000 men?”, she asked.

“Yes, Your Grace. Though a few died in transport.” explained Captain Strickland.

“They were not very good fighters my Queen. You won’t miss them.” said Euron.

“Horses?” asked Cersei.

“2,000.” answered Strickland.

“And elephants?” inquired Cersei excitedly.

“We were only able to bring 30 elephants, Your Grace. I hope that doesn’t displease you. But we didn’t have enough room on the ships for more.” explained Strickland.

“Not at all Captain Strickland. 30 should be more than enough. You are most welcome here in King’s Landing.” said Cersei.

“We are looking forward to fighting on your behalf, Your Grace.” Strickland bowed politely before walking out of the Throne Room to prepare his men for the coming conflict. Euron remained, however.

“Am I most welcome here?” he asked. Cersei smirked.

“You are a true friend to the Crown and my honored guest.”

“Well then, as a true friend and honor guest,” Euron said as he walked up the stairs only to stop as the Mountain took a warning step towards the Greyjoy King. Euron backed down knowing he was no match for the huge monstrosity, “I was hoping we could talk in private.” he finished.

“After the war. That was our agreement.” Cersei reminded him.

“Wars sometimes last years.”

“You want a whore, buy one. You want a Queen, earn her.” Cersei then stood up from the throne and began walking away. But Euron would not relent.

“How? I have given her justice by bringing her daughter’s murderers to her, I brought her an army after she lost many of her soldiers to the Dragon Queen, and I have given her the Iron Fleet. And yet, she gives me no sign of affection. My heart is nearly broken.” Cersei frowned, her green eyes narrowing as she turned to Euron.

“You are insolent. I have executed men for less.” she threatened.

“They were lesser men.” Euron challenged. Qyburn looked at Cersei, wondering what she was going to do. Cersei began walking away to her chambers. Euron frowned, believing he had failed to convince her. But Cersei’s boots stopped making sounds. Euron looked up. Cersei smirked at him and beckoned him to follow her with a nod of her head. Euron laughed and smirked as he followed her, smirking at the Mountain, who got out of the way but stared at Euron with his cold lifeless eyes.

* * *

That night on the Silence, Euron’s crew of mutes were keeping guard. They felt safe. Until…

*TWIP* An arrow shaft had made its way into the eye of one of the guards, quickly killing him.

*TWIP**TWIP*TWIP*

More arrows came flying and killed the other guards quitely. A group of boarders had managed to make their way onto the ship wielding bows, axes, and swords. They moved towards the quarters of the ship, killing anyone in their way by cutting their throats and shooting them with arrows.

Yara was sleeping but she opened her eyes as she heard fighting noises. She wondered what was happing.

*WITHRACK*

That was the sound of a short axe being imbedded into a skull.

The door opened and one of Euron’s men dropped dead; Axe buried in his skull. And soon came in the leader of the boarders.

Theon.

Yara’s eyes widened in surprise. She did not expect Theon to return. Her eyes narrowed, as she remembered how he jumped off the ship. Theon pulled his short axe out of the dead mute’s skull and then walked over to Yara and began cutting open the binds that held her to the post. He then helped her up to her feet. Yara then turned to her little brother and headbutted him in the face.

Theon fell to the floor; dazed but understanding, he deserved it.

Yara then held out her hand to her little brother. Theon took it and this time, she helped him up to his feet. She looked at him with gratitude in her eyes and then embraced him. Theon put his arms around her. After holding each other for a few moments they both walked out of the quarters, preparing to finally leave their uncle’s wretched ship.

* * *

In her chambers, Cersei had just finished bedding her new lover. She was dressed in her night gown and had a cup of wine in her hand. “Soon, we will crush the Dragon Whore and her Northern bastard. The dead will wipe most of them out, and we will simply finish off the survivors with the army you brought for us.” Cersei explained to Euron.

“That we will, my Queen. All our enemies will be crushed. The Lion and The Kraken will have control over both land and sea.” Euron said as he put his shirt back on. “How do I compare with the Fat King?” he asked.

“You’re insulting my late husband.”

“Are you offended?” Euron asked playfully. Cersei smirked.

“Robert had a different whore every night. But he never did know his way around a woman’s body.”

“And the Kingslayer?” asked Euron. Cersei frowned. Jaime was still a bit of a sore subject for her. But ever since he left her, Cersei felt less attached to Jaime. He’s weak and stupid. If he ever comes back, she will have him, and their little monster of a brother killed. In fact, right now her Hand Qyburn was helping her enact a plan to kill both of her traitor brothers.

“You must really enjoy risking your neck.” Cersei told him. Euron simply chuckled.

“Well, life is boring. I like having excitement.” Euron explained.

“You’re not boring, I’ll give you that.” Cersei commented. Euron walked up to her.

“Have I pleased the Queen?”

“You might be the most arrogant man I ever met.” Cersei said. “I like that.” she whispered seductively. Euron smirked. “But now I want to be alone.” Cersei said as she drank from her cup. Euron understood but before leaving, he put his hand on Cersei’s belly.

“I’m going to put a prince in your belly.” Euron whispered. He and Cersei smirked at each other before Euron left to go check on his prisoner. Cersei continued drinking her wine as she thought about all that has happened to bring her here.

* * *

Out at sea, Yara and Theon were sailing with the ships that they managed to steal from Euron.

“With Euron and the Iron Fleet in King’s Landing, there is no one guarding the Iron Islands. We can take our home back.” Yara explained to Theon what she planned to do.

“Daenerys went North.” Theon told Yara.

“Daenerys will need somewhere to flee to if they can’t hold the North.” said Yara. But she saw the deep longing in her brother’s eyes. “You want to go North, to fight for the Starks.” she said, voicing Theon’s thoughts.

Theon knew she was right. He wanted to fight for the Starks. He wanted to completely atone for the horrible things he did. However, he could not abandon his sister. Not again. “You are my Queen. I will do as you command.” he told Yara loyally. Yara gave Theon a warm smile.

“Go, little brother.” she said. Theon gave Yara a grateful look. “What is dead may never die.” Yara said.

“What is dead may never die.” Theon repeated. The two siblings clasped arms and embraced warmly.

“But kill the bastards anyway.” Yara encouraged.

Theon smirked, he intended to do just that.

Yara gave Theon a ship of his own and 30 of their own men. Theon waved to Yara as his ship sailed North. Yara waved back as she sailed to reclaim her home from the reigns of their evil uncle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well folks, that is chapter 3. I know the content was extremely similar to Episode 1, but as you can see I changed and added dialogue and brought in the elephants! We have caught up with Cersei and Theon has rescued his sister. Theon was one of my absolute favorites in the whole show, and he was one of the few characters, in fact maybe the only character, who was not ruined in that fucking atrocity that was Season 8. Theon will be very important to the rest of the story. Let's give him a big round of applause for saving his sister! GO THEON!  
Chapter 4, we will be back in the North. And 2 very important characters will be making their debut in that chapter. And one of them, I am super excited to write! Until next time! Please leave a review! Let me know your thoughts.


	4. The Cold Winds are Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cold Winds are Rising...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I’m back with another chapter to my grand finale! I have to say, I was so excited to write this chapter! Why, you ask? You’ll have to read until the end pf the chapter to find out. I’m proud of how this chapter has turned out. And I sincerely hope that you all enjoy it too!  
As I said at the end of Chapter 3, we are back in the North. We will be getting some exciting conversations, very sweet moments, and two extremely important characters are making their debut. And one of them, I just had so much fun writing!  
Well here we are at the end of the decade. It’s been a pretty special one for me. Graduating high school, meeting my best friend, learning how to drive, and my first job. Plenty of amazing video games and movies. And Game of Thrones was part of my life for almost 10 years. It introduced me to 2 of my absolute favorite characters in all of fiction, Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen. And it had so much epic scenes, emotional scenes, and so much more. Season 8 does not exist to me, so for me I can say GOT was the best show I have ever watched. It has been a pretty rad decade. Good times and bad times, but here I am!  
Alright enough of me talking. Let’s get on with the show!

So, winter had finally started showing in the south. Light snow for now, but according to the maesters, it would be the longest winter in a thousand years. Due to the increasingly cold weather, inns were filling up like never before. People were rushing to get a hot meal and a warm bed. It was good for the workers and owners of the inn, because it meant more money.

Hhmph. More money for the peasants. Never thought I’d be this generous. Such were the thoughts of the infamous Jamie Lannister, commonly known as the Kingslayer. Jaime was resting at an inn in the Riverlands, before he would continue his journey up the North Road. He had a promise to keep. He saw the dead man with his own eyes, and he knew that he couldn’t just sit by and do nothing like Cersei was planning.

Cersei. When did you become a monster? Jaime thought back to how insane his sister had become. She was always cold and ruthless, but she truly, deeply loved her children, and she didn’t always agree with everything Joffrey did. But now, she has become as insane and cruel as the Mad King. Jaime has heard in his travels that people are now calling Cersei the Mad Queen. Jaime should have known. The way she callously used wildfire to destroy the Great Sept of Baelor, killing hundreds of innocent people. The way she didn’t show any emotion over Tommen’s death. As if she didn’t even care that their last child had just killed himself. And yet he still stood by her side. He helped her to take Highgarden and kill off the last Tyrell in the world. Allowed his men to basically rob the people of the Reach of their precious harvest. Jaime remembered what he had told Olenna. “’When people are living peacefully in the world she built.’” How could I actually believe that? Perhaps I truly am the stupidest Lannister. Jaime knew that his sister could not be saved now. But if he is going to die, it might as well be doing something good to atone for all the horrible sins he has committed in his life.

“Hello Ser! Can I get you anything to eat?” asked a young lad with curly hair dressed in brown. His question brought Jaime out of his thoughts.

“Yes lad. I’ll take whatever you have. And some ale, please.” Jaime answered kindly to the lad.

“We have ale, Ser! And I’ve got some baked bread that I think you’ll enjoy.” answered the young lad. He gave Jaime a plate of bread and a cup of ale. Jaime ate the bread. It was delicious!

“Lad, this might be the best bread I’ve ever tasted!”

“Really?! Thank you good ser! I would love to tell you the secret to how to make it perfect, but you’d probably get bored.”

Jaime chuckled. Then he asked the boy, “What’s your name lad?

“It’s Hot Pie, Ser.” he said.

“Well Hot Pie, you have the potential to be one of the best bakers in Westeros. I’ve tasted many pastries in my years, and few of them are as delicious as yours.” said Jaime.

“Thank you ser! Well, enjoy your bread and ale! I’ll be around if you want more.” said Hot Pie. Jaime made sure to pay Hot Pie before the boy left to continue serving others.

“Well, well, well. Jaime fucking Lannister being nice to a fat boy.” said a very familiar voice. Jaime turned and found the source of the voice. It was Bronn. The man was wearing a fur coat and leather gloves and boots. He also had a cup of ale in his hand.

“Bronn? I must say I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Bronn scoffed. “Well, here I am. And I’d say that you are lucky that I am here.” Bronn said as he sat down opposite of Jaime.

“What are you doing here?” asked Jaime.

“Well, your sister wanted me to come and kill you and your brother. She sent that creepy, old Hand of hers to hire me. Here’s how it went.” And Bronn began to explain how it all went down.

_Bronn was sitting half-naked in bed with three whores getting undressed for him. One was blonde haired, another was red-haired, and the third girl had brown hair. The girls were asking him about the Battle of Blackwater Rush where the Dragon Queen had scorched thousands of Lannister soldiers._

_“I hear the Dragon burned a thousand Lannister men.” said the girl with brown hair._

_“It burned up some of my favorite boys.” said the redhead._

_“Archie was it?” the brunette girl asked._

_“And William.” said the redhead._

_“Tall, handsome William? asked the blonde._

_“Yeah. Tall Handsome William.” answered the redhead. “They said his head could fit in a wine glass.” Bronn was getting tired of hearing of men who were burned by that humongous dragon._

_“I am the only man you ever met, who shot a dragon. And I nearly killed it.” said Bronn._

_“Really? That’s brave.” said the brunette whore as she pushed Bronn on to his back and straddled him. She began grinding herself on his member while the other two girls climbed onto either side of Bronn._

_“You know those two guys, Danny and Dave?” asked the redhead._

_“The two ugly guys who always talk shit. Dave has a beard?” asked the blonde._

_“Yes, those two. Those two had their whole faces burned right off. They have no eyelids now.” the redhead revealed. She then started giggling. “No one really liked those two anyway. Did you know they wrote a book that had some boring, uninteresting boy become the “Broken King”? Well, they won’t be selling anymore of their shit!”_

_“Wait, no eyelids? How do they sleep with no eyelids?” asked the brunette. But Bronn was getting annoyed._

_“Alright, can we stop talking about the fucking dragon now?!” he begged. But another voice cut through._

_“Ser Bronn of the Blackwater.”_

_Bronn and the girls turned and saw that they had an unwanted guest. Qyburn, the Hand of the Queen._

_“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” Bronn shouted in exasperation._

_“Apologies for the interruption. But the Queen urged me to hurry.” said the old man. Although he was annoyed, Bronn reluctantly complied. He pushed the blonde off of him and stood up._

_“Sorry ladies. Another time, perhaps.” he said regretfully._

_The girls gathered their clothes and began leaving the room. The blonde one stepped towards Qyburn with a playful smirk._

_“You ever get lonely; I am partial to older gentlemen.” she said seductively before leaving._

_“Poor girl. The pox will claim her life during the year.” said Qyburn._

_“Which one?” asked Bronn as he poured himself a glass of wine. But Qyburn ignored the question._

_“The Queen’s brothers made promises to you and broke them.” Qyburn explained. “Her Grace would like to rectify their mistakes.”_

_Bronn just scoffed and went to pick up his boots. “She once gave me a castle and a wife. And then she rectified me right out of them.” he recalled._

_“That was Ser Jaime’s doing, not hers.” Qyburn pointed out while Bronn put on his boots. “When Queen Cersei wants something, she pays in advance and in gold. Several chests of it in fact, waiting for you in a wagon, just outside.”_

_The offer intrigued Bronn. “So, she wants to murder someone. But she can’t send her soldiers. If it’s the Dragon Queen she’s after…”_

_“She has other plans for the Targaryen girl.” Qyburn told him. Bronn just smirked._

_“Yeah? Well good luck with that.” he teased._

_“Our Queen’s brothers are unlikely to survive their Northern adventures. But in the event that they do…” Qyburn nodded towards a Lannister soldier outside the door. The soldier brought in a crossbow. “She has a keen sense of poetic justice._

_Bronn looked shocked. That was the same crossbow Tyrion used to kill Tywin. Joffrey’s crossbow. “That fucking family!”_

_“When the Citadel expelled me, I thought I would die poor and alone. But in exchange for my service, Queen Cersei named me her Hand. What do you think she would do for the man who rids her of her treasonous brothers?” Qyburn smirked at Bronn as he offered him the crossbow. Bronn took it with an unsure face. Qyburn then left the room. But little did he know that Bronn would go North, but not for the reasons he hoped._

“I couldn’t just refuse the mad fucker. So, I pretended to accept so I could get out of that stinking city and find you and the little shit. But don’t worry. I didn’t come to kill you.” Bronn said as he finished explaining to Jaime.

“Well, that’s good to know. But unexpected of you. You always loved gold.” Jaime said.

“Aye, I love having gold. And I would love having me own castle and all the women I could fuck. But I would be an idiot to accept that crazy bitch’s offer. Even you can’t deny that she’s gone insane.” said Bronn

“So why did you want to find me?” asked Jaime.

“I’m coming with you, cunt.” Bronn said. “Look. I’m not the kind of man who is willing to die for friends. But I gotta admit, I like you and Tyrion. You two are both cunts who didn’t pay me enough, but I like both of you. So, I can’t kill the both of you. Besides I’d rather take my chances up north with the both of you instead of down there with that crazy cunt that is your sister. Besides, maybe this Dragon Queen will be willing to give me a castle if I help stop those fucking dead men from killing everything.”

“Well, let’s hope that she doesn’t have us killed the moment we arrive.” Jaime said.

“Yeah, let’s hope.” agreed Bronn. Jaime smiled and held out his hand.

“It’s good to see you Bronn.” Jaime admitted

“Yeah, you too cunt.” Bronn smirked as he shook Jaime’s hand.  


* * *

_Daenerys was walking through a field of snow. Far to the horizon there was nothing but snow. But then a storm hit. And Dany could see hundreds of thousands of blue eyes staring coldly at her. Dany was sure that she had never been more terrified. And then…_   
_SCREEECHHH!!!!!!_

_A terrifying, ear-splitting screech sounded through the air. And through the thick winds and snow, a massive figure descended from the air. A dragon. His wings were torn up. His scales a pale, icy blue. The scales around his head were spiked and shaped a bit like a crown. And his eyes were icy blue like the thousands of other creatures in the storm._

_Dany’s heart broke. She gasped and put a hand on her mouth. For she knew who this dragon was._   
_Viserion. My sweet baby. Dany’s eyes were filled with tears. This is what had happened to her sweet child. He was no longer playful and sweet. He was now little more than a demon enslaved to evil. Viserion no longer had love in his eyes. He no longer looked at his mother with nothing but pure love and adoration. In his cold blue eyes, there was nothing but malice._

_Dany stumbled and fell back as she noticed a figure on the ice dragon’s back. The figure was covered in black armor. His nails were long and black. His skin nothing but ice. His head had horns shaped like a crown. And somehow his eyes, were colder than all the other ones. There was nothing but evil in his eyes. A desire to kill. Cruelty, Sadism, and Death were the only things in his eyes. It was the dark lord of the dead. The bringer of the Long Night. The King of Winter and Darkness. The Night King. The one who slayed her dragon._

_The Night King gave Daenerys an evil smirk as he landed in front of her. Then he gave an order to the dragon in a cold, demonic voice that would make even the bravest of men, shudder in fear._

_“Dracarys.”_

_“No! NO! Viserion, please!” cried a begging Daenerys. But it was no use. The demon that was once her gentlest child, was now a sadistic killing machine. Viserion stared down at his mother with cold blue eyes. He bared his teeth in a way that looked like a grin before he opened his mouth, and blue flames came spewing…_

Daenerys suddenly jolted. She clutched her chest as she breathed heavily. It was the most horrible thing she had ever seen. Her sweet Viserion; a monstrous demon who only had a desire to kill. Daenerys started weeping quietly.

Viserion. She didn’t dare break down in front of everyone else, but now that she was alone with only Jon and Ghost, she let the tears come spilling. Her sweet, gentle boy was taken from her. And if that wasn’t cruel enough, he has been turned into a monstrous demon who is now a slave to evil incarnate. Zaldrizes buzdari iksos daor. A dragon is not a slave. But that is what Viserion has become now.

Daenerys loved all 3 of her dragons with all of her heart. But Viserion was a gentle soul and he was very patient and sweet. That set him apart from Rhaegal and Drogon. Viserion was always content with just being with his brothers and his mother. It’s so ironic that Viserion, unlike his namesake Viserys, was the sweetest and most gentle of her three dragons. But now he was gone, like Rhaego, and this time she would have to see what horrible things the Night King had done with him.

Dany remembered when he was just a hatchling. He was so small and all he wanted was Dany’s love and attention. His beautiful golden white scales. She remembered how he purred in contentment whenever she stroked him. How he always nuzzled her whenever she could. He was always such a sweet, gentle soul. Dany just couldn’t bare to see the demon that that monster had turned her beautiful child into. The tears came faster as she put her hand over her face and started crying harder.

“Dany?”

Jon had woken up and he saw Daenerys crying. The sight made his heart ache. Seeing his beloved Dany crying was too much. Jon sat up and put his arms around her. “What’s wrong my love?” he asked gently.

“Viserion… I saw him. That monster has turned my precious baby into a demon.” Dany wept. “My sweet, gentle baby…” she cried. She buried her face into Jon’s chest. Jon held her tightly, stroking her silver hair lovingly.

“Shh. My love, let it all out. I’m here with you.” Jon whispered gently. “I promise you, we will avenge him together. We are going to make that icy bastard pay for what he’s done.”

“I had not even thought that he could become one of them. His body sank and I thought that at least, they wouldn’t get him. But…” Dany said as her violet eyes continued shedding tears.

“It’s my fault.” Jon said with remorse. Dany turned sharply

“No, no, no. Don’t say that my love. It’s not your fault.”

“If I hadn’t gone north, if I hadn’t acted like a fool, he’d still be here.”

“Jon. Do not for a single second blame yourself. If you hadn’t gone North, I wouldn’t have known. And I couldn’t just leave you to die.”

Dany remembered how empty she felt when she had returned to Eastwatch with the others. Losing Viserion was hard enough, but the thought that she had also lost Jon… She couldn’t even begin to describe the joy and relief she felt when she saw him return. She wanted to properly thank and reward the person who brought her beloved back safely, but he didn’t give his name. Just said “The Great War is finally here. You and Jon Snow are the last hope for this world, Daenerys Targaryen. Don’t worry, we will meet again. And then you can give me your thanks.” Daenerys wondered who this mysterious cloaked man was but at the time was too focused on making sure Jon was safe.

“Jon, listen to me.” Dany cupped Jon’s face and stroked his cheek with her soft hand. “Viserion’s death was not your fault. And I am just so thankful that I didn’t lose you as well. I love you Jon. I never thought I could fall in love again, but I feel for you is stronger than anything I have ever felt for anyone. No one can compare with. I love you with all my heart Jon Snow.”

Jon’s grey eyes filled with tears as he put a hand on Dany’s soft cheek. “And I love you Dany. I didn’t think I could ever fall in love again or that I deserved it. When I came back after death, I didn’t really feel alive. I just wanted to finish the war with the dead and defend the North with my life. I was never afraid of dying. I didn’t really have anything to truly live for, nothing to really cherish. I was just a motherless bastard. Until I met you.” Jon pulled Dany as close to him as he could.

“You make me feel more alive than anyone I have ever met. I loved my father and I love my friends and my siblings, but they couldn’t make me feel truly alive. Like I was something more than a bastard. Arya almost did, but I still felt like an underserving bastard. But you, you make me feel truly alive. Like I do deserve some happiness in this shit world.” Jon continued. Daenerys continued listening, staring at Jon with pure love in her tear-filled violet eyes.

Jon cupped Dany’s cheek firmly. “Hear me now Daenerys. I will never leave you. Never. No matter what horrors we must face, no matter what happens; I promise you this. As long as I have breath in me, I don’t care what anyone here or anywhere else says. Not Tyrion, not Sansa, not the Northern lords, no one will ever convince me to leave you. I love you with everything in me, Daenerys Stormborn.” finished Jon with passion.

Daenerys smiled at Jon before she cupped his face. Her hands were softer and warmer than the finest furs. She leaned in and kissed Jon, who eagerly returned it. Tongues engaging in a tender duel of passion. Jon loved Dany’s taste, sweeter than anything in the world. Filled with passion and lust, Jon quickly pushed Dany down and rolled on top of her and continued kissing her.

Dany moaned softly as her other half continued ravishing her. Her breasts pressed against his chest, their bodies feeling like two parts of a puzzle. She moved her hands to Jon’s hair and began stroking his hair. Jon broke from Dany’s mouth and began kissing and licking her luscious, creamy snow-white neck. Dany’s moans and gasps were like the sweetest music to his ears.

Jon started kissing her lower, heading to his soulmate’s perfect breasts with delicious pink nipples. He smirked at Dany before kissing her breast. Licking and nipping and suckling her delicious nipple, Jon brought Dany more pleasure than she had ever felt. The nipple left his mouth with a pop. And he went back to kissing her. He swirled his tongue around her belly button, before he moved back up to her mouth.

While kissing, Dany smirked as she wrapped her legs around Jon. She put her arms around him and then rolled them over, so she was on top. She straddled Jon and leaned in to kiss him. Jon moaned as his beloved kissed him. He moved his hand down to her perfect, plump ass. He grabbed and squeezed her perfect cheeks, emitting a moan from the gorgeous silver-haired Queen. Dany and Jon broke their kiss and stared at each other lovingly. Dany then leaned down and gave Jon’s neck a few kisses before continuing downward.

Eyesight reaching his bare chest, Daenerys' heart hitched. The Queen fighting the tears that threatened to fall at the sight of his scars. While the reaction had muted ever since their first coupling, Dany gasping and crying at discovering them, it never ceased to hurt her. Jon had told Daenerys on the boat the true story of Davos' words. 'He took a knife in the heart for his people... oh Jon...' Betrayed by his own men merely for letting the wildlings down south of the Wall to save them from the White Walkers. Tracing the scars, each made by the treason of those that had ambushed and killed him. He had actually died. Only alive because a Red Priestess, Melisandre, had brought him back... 'I could have lost him...' Dany was heartbroken to hear that her beloved had been betrayed and murdered by people he trusted. She was also furious. If Jon hadn't hanged them, I would have gone to Castle Black and fed them to Drogon.

Dany kissed each one of Jon’s scars lovingly. Her kisses were so gentle and soft. She saved her softest kiss for the scar right over Jon’s heart. Jon gasped softly as he felt Dany’s sweet, gentle lips over his scars.

Dany grabbed Jon’s hard cock. Jon gasped and moaned as Dany stroked his stiff member. Dany smirked at hearing her beloved’s moans and decided to tease him. She leaned down and gave the tip of his manhood a little kiss. And then she licked him from base to tip. She then came back up and laid on top of him, her nipples brushing against him.

“Did you enjoy that my love?” Dany asked seductively.

“Gods Dany. I loved it. But I’m not done with you yet, my love.”

Jon then flipped Dany over so her back was on the bed and he was on top of her. He kissed her with immense passion, sliding his tongue against her lips. He lined up his length with her entrance. Dany moaned.

“Please Jon. Don’t make me wait any longer.” Dany begged. Jon complied with her wish.

He slid inside of her and the two lovers gasped with pleasure. Being inside of Dany was the perfect feeling for Jon. He didn’t think about the dead, about war, or about any petty people who hate him or Dany. All he focused on was making love to the love of his life.

Having Jon inside her made her feel complete. It was so much more than what she had with Drogo or Daario. She eventually loved Drogo and, once she had tempered his urge to dominate, enjoyed their wild passionate sex. She didn’t love Daario and she pretty much controlled him in their relationship, but he was fun, and he was good in the bed. But Jon… What she has with Jon is so much more. Not controlling her or being controlled by her. They were equals. It’s pure, perfect love. It’s the feeling of being complete. It’s… being home.

Eventually, Jon’s seed came and coated Dany’s walls. It was so perfect. Jon collapsed on top of Dany, resting his head on her chest. Dany lovingly stroked Jon’s head, moving her fingers through his soft, wild curls.

“You are just amazing my love.” Dany whispered to Jon lovingly.

“Dany, you just complete me. I love you more than anything.” Jon replied.

The two lovers got back to holding each other in their arms. But then Ghost, who had been sleeping near the fire, had jumped on the bed. He nuzzled Jon lovingly before licking him and Dany. Jon and Dany laughed as they stroked Ghost, rubbing his ears and giving him belly-rubs when he got on his back. Jon smiled as he stroked his beloved wolf’s back while his other half cooed at Ghost and stroked his face. He knew that he had found true happiness.

* * *

  
Outside on the battlements, Tyrion was watching as Gendry and some of the other blacksmiths were unloading the dragonglass. While one man was shoveling, a piece started falling off the wagon until Gendry caught it.

“Hey, careful, lads. We need every last bit of it.” he said.

“Sorry about that.” the man apologized. Gendry climbed on top of the wagon to continue helping with the glass.

“Are these the last of the wagons?” Gendry asked.

“Aye.” answered one of the men.

“Alright, let’s get it all to the forges.” Gendry commanded.

Tyrion then looked to his left and he saw Sansa Stark speaking with Lord Yohn Royce. Wanting to speak with Sansa, Tyrion began making his way over to them.

“My lord.” he politely greeted Lord Royce. “My lady.”

Sansa and Lord Royce shared a look. Sansa nodded to him, silently reassuring Royce that she was okay with speaking with Tyrion.

“My lady.” Lord Royce addressed Sansa before leaving the two. Tyrion walked to Sansa’s side.

“The Lady of Winterfell. Has a nice ring to it.”

“So does Hand of the Queen.” Sansa quipped with a smirk. “Depending on the queen, I suppose.”

“Last time we spoke was at Joffrey’s wedding. Miserable affair.” reminisced Tyrion.

“Well, it did have it’s moments.” Sansa said. She and Tyrion shared a smirk, remembering how that little shit, Joffrey, had died.

“Apologies for leaving like that.” said Sansa.

“Yes, it was a bit hard to explain why my wife fled moments after the king’s murder.” snarked Tyrion in a friendly tone.

“We both survived.” Sansa pointed out. Tyrion nodded.

“Many underestimated you. Most of them are dead now.” Tyrion said. Sansa gave Tyrion a look.

“There is something I forgot to mention during the war council. In addition to Queen Daenerys’s army, we were able to convince Cersei to join our cause. The Lannister Army should be riding north as we speak.” said Tyrion. The moment he said that, the warm look in Sansa’s face disappeared completely.

“Wait, what?” she asked incredulously. “That is ludicrous. It’s bad enough having all these foreigners in my home.”

Tyrion sighed. “Sansa, I know you are not thrilled to hear this. I know your family and the North have suffered much under the Lannister name. And you have every right to be fearful of my sister. No one fears her more than I do. But I promise, you’ll be safe…”

“Wait. Cersei told you that her army was coming north to fight for you?” Sansa interrupted.

“She did.”

“And you believed her?”

Tyrion stared awkwardly. “She has something to live for now. I believe she wants to survive.” he told Sansa, who gave him an incredulous look.

“I used to think you were the cleverest man alive.” she said in a disappointed tone. Ignoring the hurt look on Tyrion’s face, she walked away, leaving the dwarf alone on the battlements. When Tyrion looked down, he noticed Brandon Stark giving him a strange look.

* * *

  
Daenerys was walking with Ghost through Winterfell. Some people looked at her with caution, but others were looking at her with awe and amazement. Some even gave her warm smiles, for they had heard how she had saved the life of their beloved king. Daenerys returned the smiles with her own. She had no idea, but her smile was enough to fill people with warmth because of how beautiful and true it was.

With Ghost by her side, and her gorgeous white fur coat, Daenerys looked like a real winter queen. Her silver hair and her pale skin blended beautifully with the snow.

“So, you earned the affections of not only my brother, but also his wolf. Impressive.” said a voice unfamiliar to Dany. Dany turned around and found the source of the voice. It was a girl who had brown hair tied back, and grey eyes like Jon’s. Daenerys guessed that this must be Jon’s sister, Arya Stark.

“You must be Arya.” Dany said. Arya smiled.

“I am. And you are Daenerys Targaryen.” Arya replied. She walked up to Dany and offered her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” she said warmly. Dany returned the warm smile and shook her hand.

“It’s an honor to meet you too. Jon has told me so much about you.” said Dany.

“Well, I am his favorite.” Arya said playfully. Dany chuckled.

“From the way he spoke about you, you clearly are.” Dany remembered asking Jon about his family on the boat. Jon had spoken about Arya with tenderness and joyful memories.

“He told me a bit about you. How you let him mine the dragonglass, even though he didn’t bend the knee. And he told me how you saved him when he went North of the Wall. You have my deepest gratitude.” Arya said in a grateful tone.

“There’s no need to thank me Arya. Saving him was the right thing to do.” Dany said warmly

“No, I have to thank you. I love Jon. He’s always been my favorite. I came back when I heard that he became King in the North. If it weren’t for you, I never would have gotten to see him again. So, thank you, Daenerys.” said Arya in a warm tone.

Dany smiled and took Arya’s hand. “You’re welcome Arya. And I promise, I will do everything I can to make sure that Jon and the North survive the Great War.”

Arya squeezed Dany’s hand. “Thank you for that as well. Jon told me that you offered your help before he even bent the knee. If you were a tyrant like Cersei or Joffrey, you would not have come. It will be an honor to fight alongside you and your people.”

Dany smiled. “Jon told me how he gave you a sword. How you always wanted to learn how to fight.”

“It’s true. In fact, one of my idols was your ancestor, Visenya Targaryen. She was a great warrior.” said Arya.

That surprised Dany. “I didn’t know they still told stories about my family after the Rebellion.” admitted Dany.

“It was still part of our history. And Father loved having us learn about history. I always loved the stories about Aegon the Conqueror and his sister-wives, Rhaenys and Visenya. Visenya was my favorite. I loved how even though she was a woman, she defied those stupid traditions and became a great warrior. How she rode on her dragon Vaegar, with her Valyrian steel sword Dark Sister. I was excited to meet you. You have dragons and you are a Targaryen.” Arya explained.

“I’m flattered Arya. But I fear I only share the ability to ride a dragon with Visenya. I’m not a warrior.” Dany admitted.

“Why not? Don’t you want to learn?” asked Arya.

“I never thought about it. I always had guards and knights protecting me, as well as my dragons.” said Dany.

“Well then, I can teach you.” Arya offered. “If you fall off your dragon, or you don’t have guards, you need a way to protect yourself.”

“I’m flattered Arya, but I don’t even own a sword.”

“Don’t worry. I have a friend who I think can make you a sword.”

“Alright Arya. I’d be honored to learn from you.” Dany said. “And as thanks for your offer, I will take you to see my dragons.”

Arya’s face lit up in wonder. “Really?! I would love that! It was always a childhood dream of mine to ride a dragon!”

“Then it will be my honor to make it a reality for you.” Dany replied warmly. Arya gave Dany a warm smile.

The two women continued walking together. They both felt a kinship with each other. Arya was excited to get to know more about Daenerys Targaryen. A woman that she might soon be calling sister.

* * *

  
At the Last Hearth, Lord Ned Umber was preparing his people to depart from Winterfell. The wagons and horse that Queen Daenerys had given him were more than enough to bring all his people to Winterfell. Lord Umber was waiting in the Great Hall, near the fire, trying to stay warm until he was informed that all his people were ready. 10 soldiers were with him to protect him.

“My lord, I think we are ready to depart. Your people await your command.” said the Master-at-Arms. The young lord sighed. He didn’t want to leave his home, but his people’s safety was most important.

“Give the order then. We must start the march to Winterfell immediately.” Lord Umber ordered.

“At once, my lord.” replied the loyal soldier.

However, before he could leave to carry out his liege’s orders, something strange happened. The fire had gone out, even though it should have kept burning. It had gotten much colder, and the walls were starting to freeze up. And then…

SCREEEEEEEEEEEECHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Lord Umber and his men winced and covered their ears at the monstrous sound, and it was then that they realized that it was too late. The dead had already arrived….

Flying above the Last Hearth on his new dragon, was the Lord of Death; the Master of Winter; the Night King. The icy king stretched out his hand. Using his immense ice powers, he put out all of the fires in the castle. He also made sure to conjure up a snowstorm to keep the living ones from escaping and from seeing his army. Then with a mighty screech, he signaled his army to attack and kill every last living person in the castle. The Night King knew that the little Lord Umber was in the Great Hall, guarded by ten soldiers. He smirked. I will crush them like insects and kill the boy myself.

His army had broken into the castle. The people were caught off guard. And they didn’t have enough weapons to fight back. They didn’t even have the dragonglass that they needed, for it was all at Winterfell. As such, the people of Last Hearth could do nothing as the dead came in enormous waves. The wights moved fast and killed everything they could find. A few White Walkers also joined the slaughter, and with their icy swords and spears, they killed anyone who was unlucky to cross their path. It wasn’t just men that were wights. The Army of the Dead was over 500,000 strong. Not just people and horses, but also wolves, bears, shadowcats, giants and mammoths, birds, and many, many more.

But the Night King’s personal favorite was Viserion. His new dragon. He preferred him immensely over his horse.

The King of the Dead flew his dragon to the ground and commanded him to wait. He promised his new pet that soon he will have his chance to kill, but first the Night King needed to do this. Dismounting from Viserion, the Night King walked and used his powers to summon his ultimate weapon. It was a double-bladed sword with icy marks and black coloring. He trekked towards the Great Hall. Some unlucky fools tried their luck with the Lord of the Night, but he slaughtered them with ease.

Finally, he made it to the doors that would lead to the Great Hall. He could sense the humans on the other side. Their fear. He smirked. This is going to be fun.

Although the guards had locked the door and reinforced it, hoping that by some miracle, the dead would not find them, the door was easily destroyed by the Night King. He stood at the entrance, watching the men guarding the young lord. The men were terrified. Jon Snow was telling the truth about the Walkers and the Night King. And now, they were about to become meat for his army.

One man decided to try his luck, and with a yell, charged at the Night King, who simply dodged before slicing the man in half with his massive sword. 4 other men ran at the Night King with their weapons drawn. He simply smirked and did something that they did not expect. He threw his blade, which began spinning, at them. The blade decapitated 2 of the soldiers. The other 2 had managed to dodge but were horrified. And the blade wasn’t just thrown. It returned to the Night King’s hand like a boomerang! And it killed one other soldier by slicing through his stomach. As the Night King caught his sword, he moved forward to the other 5 soldiers. The soldiers were hopeless but still tried to protect their lord.

But they were no watch for the Lord of Death. The Night King’s sword cut through one man’s sword and impaled the man. The Night King jumped over another soldier’s sword and cut his throat. The Master-at-Arms managed to get locked in a stalemate with the Night King’s sword, but the evil demon simply used the other side of his sword to kill the soldier. He then made quick work of the last two soldiers, impaling them both with the two sides of his sword before throwing their bodies aside.

The Night King then turned and faced Lord Ned Umber. The little lord was more terrified than he had ever been in his life. All his people were dead. And the Night King was right in front of him, staring down at him with his cold icy blue eyes.

The Night King looked down at the boy. And then, he put his sword right through the boy’s chest. The boy’s mouth and nose were dripping blood as the life left him.

A victory for the dead.

A few moments later, 3 of his lieutenants came into the Great Hall.

_'Sire, we have killed every last human_.'

_'Good.'_

'_Shall we bring these ones back Sire?' _asked one tall White Walker with long hair.

Normally, the Night King would turn them into wights but he had another idea. _'No. Cut off their arms and legs. All of them. Except the boy.' _ he ordered. Although confused, the Walkers immediately obeyed their King.

The Night King had them use the arms and legs to form a circular shape on the wall. And then he grabbed the Umber boy and pinned him into the shape.

_'Not all had perished when we brought down the Wall. The survivors will come this way. Let them. This shall be a message for them._' said the Night King.

'_What is the message Sire?_' asked the Walker with a beard and short hair. The Night King smirked.

'_T__hat death is coming for every living being, and that they have no hope. This is only just the beginning_..' he said sinisterly.

With that, the Night King and his generals walked out of the Last Hearth. The Night King mounted Viserion and flew into the air. Moving his massive army down south, he smirked sadistically. _Death will come to all the Realms of Men._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And that’s Chapter 4! That was my favorite to write! We have Jaime and Bronn heading North, some sweet love between our King and Queen, a meeting that we all wanted, and the big bad has shown himself. I had so much fun writing the Night King. He is going to be the big ultimate threat he was meant to be. And I’ll tell you now, he’s got a big plan. Not saying anything yet, but he has something really, really big planned. We shall see him again before the Battle of Winterfell. And yes, he and his Walkers can speak! Just imagine the most demonic, ominous voice you can. That’s the Night King’s voice. My apologies if the massacre was not well written. I have never written a battle or a fight before.  
Please let me know your thoughts! Was the Night King great? Did you like Dany and Arya’s meeting? Is there anything I should change?


	5. Pleasant Encounters and Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At Winterfell, Jon and Dany’s people begin bonding. Jaime and Bronn continue on their journey North stopping at a familiar location. Strong friendships are formed and two lovers have some time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone. I am so sorry that I haven’t updated in a while. Had a crazy start in second semester of college. And I was feeling pretty down, so I didn’t really feel like doing anything. But I’m feeling so much better now, and I am so excited to share this chapter with you. I hope you like it as much as I do!   
I need to let this out. I got a review from an unknown person comparing me to D&D just because I’m not treating “Princess Sansa” so kindly. I warned you. This story is not for Sansa fans. I’m not going to write her as a boring one-dimensional villain, but don’t expect her to be a sweet and kind lady. And about the Battle of the Bastards. Did you forget that Sansa didn’t tell Jon about the Knights of the Vale? She kept complaining about more men, but she said nothing about the Vale. And Jon did show gratitude to her, he said that the battle was won because of her and the knights. So, like I said, she will not be a one-dimensional villain. We’ll see some good traits from her. But she’s not a kind and gracious lady here. And if she ends up villainous, it will be a slow and well-written turn. So if you’re looking for a story where Sansa is praised to the moon, then this is not the story for you.  
Phew. Now that I let that out, here’s the chapter!

Missandei was walking along the castle grounds. She had never seen anything like this. Growing up in Essos meant living in warm temperatures and sunny climates. She had never seen snow. _‘It’s so beautiful.’ _Missandei was so enchanted by the beauty of the snow, that she didn’t see the woman in front of her. She stumbled into her, causing the woman to fall to the ground.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I should have been paying attention. Are you okay?” Missandei asked as she helped the woman to her feet.

“Oh no. I’m fine. It’s alright.” reassured the woman as she stood back up. Missandei noticed that this woman looked beautiful. She had shoulder-length brown hair that had a braid at the top, pale skin, and a kind face. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Gilly.” she revealed.

“Hello Gilly. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Missandei.”

“Hi Missandei! You have a beautiful name.” said Gilly kindly.

“Thank you, Gilly! You have a lovely name too!” Missandei replied.

“Where are you from? I’ve never seen anyone like you before.” asked Gilly.

“I’m from the Island of Naath. There it never snowed. All we had were sandy beaches and clear waters.” answered Missandei.

“It sounds beautiful. Why did you leave?” Gilly asked. Missandei’s face grew sad as she remembered her life as a slave. She turned away from Gilly as she began to explain what happened to her

“Not by choice. When I was a child, I was taken from my home by slavers. I was sold to a man named Kraznys mo Nakloz in Astapor and lived as his slave until Queen Daenerys freed me.” Missandei explained with a despondent look. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Gilly giving her a sympathetic look.

“I’m so sorry that happened to you Missandei. No one deserves to live like that. I hope that the Queen gave that man what he deserves.”

“She did. She bought the Unsullied from the masters and freed them. She then ordered them to kill the slavers and strike the chains off all the slaves. That day was one I will never forget. And it was there that I knew Queen Daenerys is a Queen worth following.” Missandei proudly declared.

“She sounds like an amazing woman. I think I would like to meet her.” said Gilly.

“She would like you. Our Queen is a kind, open, and compassionate woman. She wants to make life better for everyone. I know that she would love to meet you.” Missandei said.

The two women shared a smile, already feeling a bond between them. But Gilly soon had a sad look on her face. Missandei noticed.

“What’s wrong Gilly?” asked Missandei. Gilly sighed.

“What you told me about your life as a slave, it reminded me of my life Beyond the Wall.”

“Beyond the Wall?” Missandei asked.

“I was one of the Free Folk. People in the South call us wildlings. We’re from North of the Wall. There were many different clans and tribes. But me and my sisters lived with our father Craster.” explained Gilly

“Was your father cruel to you?” asked Missandei.

“He was a monster. He forced my and my sisters to marry him.” said Gilly.

“Marrying his own daughters?! That is repulsive!” Missandei exclaimed in disgust.

“He raped us. He beat us. We didn’t wear chains, but we were essentially his slaves. When we gave him daughters, he married them too.” Gilly continued.

“What happened to the boys?” asked Missandei.

Gilly gave Missandei a sad look. “He killed them. He would leave them in the woods as “sacrifices” for the Gods.”

Missandei gasped and put her hand over her mouth as her face etched with horror. “Oh my goodness. What a disgusting, repulsive man! Please tell me that he’s not still out there.”

“No. He was killed by some men from the Night’s Watch. I escaped that night with Sam and my son.”

“Thank goodness. That man got what he deserved. And I’m so glad you got to save your son.”

Gilly smiled and then a thought came to her head. “Would you like to meet him?”

“I would love to!” Missandei said excitedly.

Gilly beamed at her new friend. She grabbed her hand and led her to her room to meet Little Sam.

* * *

Rodrick was bringing some drinks for his friends. But he accidently stumbled causing him to drop the flagons. “Shit…” he muttered. He bent down to pick them up when someone spoke to him.

“Let us help.”

Rodrick turned and noticed three Unsullied. He had heard of them. They came with the Dragon Queen. He was a bit wary of strangers, but he knew Jon Snow was a wise and good ruler. If he trusted them then Rodrick would give them a chance. ‘_Besides, they did come to help us against the dead.’_

‘’Thank you good sers.” thanked Rodrick. The Unsullied in the middle nodded.

The three Unsullied helped Rodrick pick up all the drinks and even volunteered to help him carry them, so they don’t spill again.

“You can all speak the Common Tongue?” asked Rodrick

“No, not all of us. And those of us who can speak the Common Tongue, not all of us are good. Our leader Torgo Nudho is the best.” said one of the Unsullied

“But it not matter if we speak Common Tongue or not. Our Queen commands us to fight for North. So that is what we do. We come to help you.” said another Unsullied, his thick accent showing from his voice.

“Well, I and many others appreciate this. It’s been a long time since the Northerners had any true friends. We will be honored to fight alongside you.” a grateful Rodrick said. “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Rodrick. What are your names?”

“I am called Black Fly.” said the lead Unsullied.

“Red Ant.” said the thick accented one.

“This one is called Green Snail.” said the third Unsullied.

“Why would you have those names? They make you sound like you are vermin.” inquired Rodrick.

“Unsullied were given names by masters. Wanted to remind us we are vermin.”

“Fuck. I’m sorry you had to go through that. No man deserves to live as a slave. I take it the Dragon Queen freed you?”

“Yes. Our Queen freed us from the cruel masters. Then she ordered us to kill the masters and free all the other slaves. From that day to our last days, our loyalty is to Queen Daenerys Stormborn.” Black Fly declared loyally.

“Sounds like she is a good ruler. She saved our King and helped bring an end to slavery. I’m thinking she might actually be a ruler that we can follow behind.” said Rodrick. “Say, why don’t you join me and my friends? We have plenty of drinks. And we would love to hear stories about your battles in Essos.” offered Rodrick.

“Unsullied never drink.” said Green Snail

“Why? Because of your masters? Fuck them. They’re dead from what you told me. And even if they are still alive, fuck them again. Don’t let them stop you from having fun. Come. I insist.”

“Alright. We have a few drinks.” said Black Fly.

“Wonderful! Come. My friends will like you. And we will love to hear how you helped the Dragon Queen end slavery!” said Rodrick excitedly.

Rodrick did not notice, but the three Unsullied had smiles beginning to form on their usually stoic faces.

* * *

Jaime could spot the castle of the now extinct House Frey. He remembered how he came here after he succeeded in taking Riverrun back from the Blackfish. Being forced to be in the same room as that disgusting coward, Walder Frey, was unbearable. When Jaime heard the news that someone killed Walder Frey and his whole family, he couldn’t say he was the least bit sad. He still wonders who could have done it.

“So, back at this shithole, eh?” Bronn pointed out.

“Well, we have to get North. This road is the fastest path. But I don’t see why you’re complaining. Those ugly shits are all gone now.” said Jaime.

“Good riddance I say. Those cunts had it coming.” said Bronn. “If those Lannister soldiers you sent are still here, are they gonna let us go by?

“Don’t worry. I don’t think they know that Cersei lied about sending her army north. I’m not sure they even know about the dead. We’ll be able to get by.” assured Jaime.

“Let’s hope so.”

The two men rode forward until they reached the gate.

“Who goes there?” asked the Lannister soldier who was keeping watch at the gate.

“Ser Jaime Lannister and his companion, Ser Bronn of the Blackwater. I command you to let us enter.” ordered Jaime.

“Ser Jaime? Of course. Come on in. Our commander will be with you shortly.” said the soldier. And he shouted, “OPEN THE GATES!”.

The gates opened and Jaime and Bronn were able to enter. There were a few hundred soldiers around the castle. With the Freys dead, they were sent here to keep the peace.

Jaime and Bronn were approached by a soldier who had dark hair and blue eyes.

“Ser Jaime. I am Leon. Commander of this garrison at the Twins. We were not expecting you. What brings you all the way up here?” he asked.

“Let’s discuss this inside over a few drinks.” said Jaime. Leon nodded and ordered his soldiers to feed Jaime and Bronn’s horses while he takes them to the Great Hall of the Twins.

“Dead men? It’s a lot to take in, Ser Jaime.” said Leon as he took a sip from his wine.

“I know it is. Believe me, I wish it weren’t real, but I saw one of those things in King’s Landing. And they won’t care who we are. If they aren’t stopped, they will kill everyone on this continent. That is why me and Bronn are riding North.”

“But doesn’t this go against Queen Cersei’s desires?” asked Leon.

“Like I said, it won’t matter if the dead are not defeated. Queen Cersei may not want to admit it, but right now is not the time for us to be waging war with other people. Trust me Leon. By letting me and Ser Bronn go north, you are doing a service to your country.” said Jaime.

“And I suppose you don’t want me to tell any of the others, correct?”

“No. You must not tell anyone. Do I have your word?” asked Jaime.

“Yes, Ser Jaime. I will let you and Ser Bronn pass. Do you have any other orders for us?”

“I think it’s best if you and the other lads here go home. Go back to the Westerlands.” ordered Jaime.

“But ser. We were sent here to keep the peace.” said a flabbergasted Leon.

“Trust me. I think peace isn’t going to be had for a while. Go home. If we don’t defeat the dead in the North, you will not be able to hold them if they attack this castle. It’s best for all of you to leave this filthy castle.” said Jaime.

“Yeah, I don’t know about you, but I would not want to stay another second inside this fucking ugly castle.” said Bronn. Leon sighed.

“Very well. If that is your command, then we will return to the Westerlands. Some of my boys are homesick anyway. We are tired of being in this wretched place.”

Jaime smiled. “Thank you, Leon. Make sure that no one knows why we are heading North. And do keep training in the Westerlands.”

“Yes Ser! It has been a pleasure.” Leon said with a smile and held out his hand. Jaime shook his hand graciously. “Do you wish to leave right away?”

“Yes. We must go now. There’s no time to lose.” answered Jaime.

“Very well. Farewell Ser Jaime. Ser Bronn. I wish you both good fortune.” offered Leon.

Jaime nodded. He then turned to Bronn.

“You ready to continue Ser Bronn?

“You bet I am you golden-haired bastard.” said Bronn playfully.

The two men stood and readied to continue their journey North.

* * *

“_Winter has finally come.”_ were the thoughts of a black cloaked man riding on his horse. He managed to keep himself hidden from the Army of the Dead as he followed them down south from the destroyed Wall.

There were so many of them. To many, it would seem hopeless to prevail against such a massive army. But the cloaked man knew there was still hope to bring Spring to the Realms of Men. “_Jon. Daenerys. You two are the last hope for this world. You must prevail or else all is lost.”_

The cloaked man continued his journey to Winterfell. He couldn’t take the main road, lest the dead see him. Luckily, he had a horse and he could cut around them and get to Winterfell before they did. He must get there on time. For he has something to give to the Dragon Queen that will help in the war for the living.

* * *

“I got to say lad, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this happy.” said Ser Davos warmly as he walked the halls with Jon.

Jon chuckled. “I’ve never been happier in my life Davos. I know that it was important that I secure allies for the coming war, but I never thought…” he paused, closing his eyes. “I never thought it would be far more than that.”

Davos chuckled warmly and put one hand on Jon’s shoulder. “I’m glad for you son. And Missandei told me about everything she went through before she came to Westeros. After everything you two have been through, you both deserve to have some happiness.”

“She’s an amazing woman Davos. I have fallen in love before, but I don’t think it compares to how I feel about her. I just feel like my life would be incomplete without her.”

“Well, then when are you going to ask her?”

"Ask her what?” Jon asked confused. But Davos just smirked.

“Come now Jon. I think you know what I am talking about.” said Davos playfully.

“Now’s not the time for that. Not with the dead on the move. And besides, I’m not sure the Northern Lords would like it if I married her after bending the knee to her. And she deserves better than a bastard.”

That earned him a smack on the shoulder.

“OW! Damnit Davos, what was that for?!” Jon asked as he rubbed his shoulder.

“Be glad it was me and not her, I doubt she’d be so gentle. And that my boy was for that bullshit of you being unworthy. You are not a lesser man just because of your birth. Your parents may not have been married, but you are as good as any trueborn child. And I can already tell that she does not care that you’re a bastard. She loves you for who you are, not because of your name. You would be good for her because she loves you and you love her.”

Jon sighed. “Davos… I long with all my heart and soul to make Daenerys my wife, but tensions are high with Sansa as they are, and some of the Northern lords…” Davos slaps him again.

“Fuck what the Northern Lords think.” Davos continued. “If they have a problem with it, then they can fuck off. Tell me Jon, do you love her?”

Jon sighed. “Aye. I love her more than I have ever loved anyone else. There was a time when I never considered settling down with a wife and having children. But ever since I met her, that’s all I want Davos. I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want that.”

“I know I’m not technically your hand, but I will continue to advise you son. And here is my advice for you on this matter. Most people in their lives never find true happiness in the world. But I’ve seen how happy you two are with each other. It’s something that no one should let go of. You two deserve to make one choice just for yourselves.” Davos advised wisely.

“When the Dead arrive, do you want to have any regrets my boy?”

Jon smiled at Davos and then embraced him.

“Thank you so much Davos. I appreciate your advice. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“It’s my pleasure, my boy. I’m proud to serve someone like you.” said Davos with a fatherly tone.

“I’m going to go find her. And I will ask her the next time we are alone.”

“Good lad. I’ll be helping the people arriving here.”

With one last pat on the shoulder, Davos left to go outside and check how things were going. Jon continued walking, resolved to find Daenerys and spend some time with her.

* * *

“So, let me get this straight. Jon disguised himself as a ghost by covering himself with flour?!” Dany asked while struggling to control her laughs.

“Yes! He was completely covered in white flour and he jumped out and gave us quite a scare in the crypts. I think Robb gave him a good punch in the face.” recounted Arya.

Daenerys and Arya were sitting in Arya’s chambers. Arya was drinking some wine and offered Dany a sip every once in a while. Dany giggled.

“I bet Sansa gave him a good shouting for that.” she said.

“Oh, Sansa always complained about everything when we were young. Thankfully, Father only saw it as a harmless prank. Our mother wanted to punish Jon.”

“I’m finding it hard to like her. How could she treat an innocent child like that? I’m so sorry you lost her, but her treatment of Jon does not endear her to me.” said Dany angrily. Arya sighed.

“I know. That was one of the few strains in my relationship with my mother. I loved her dearly, but I hated the way she treated Jon. Like he was a lesser person just because of his birth. I can understand if she was angry at my father for having a child with another woman, but she took it all out on Jon. That was not something I took lightly.” Arya explained.

“However I may feel about her, she did not deserve to die, especially at a wedding. You have my condolences Arya.” offered Dany kindly.

Arya smiled. “Thank you, Daenerys.”

“Sansa and Mother may have been cold and rude to Jon, but the rest of us loved him like a true brother. Robb treated him as an equal. I remember that him, Jon, and Theon were thick as thieves. Jon and Theon could argue, but the two of them were still good friends. Bran looked up to Jon the same way he looked up to Robb. He loved playing with Jon and learning how to shoot a bow from him. Little Rickon was a sweet boy and he just loved everyone.” Arya recounted. Dany listened, intrigued.

“But I don’t think anyone loved him more than me. Jon was my favorite person. I loved all of my brothers, but Jon and I had a special bond. Both of us were outsiders in a way. My mother and father wanted me to be a ‘proper’ lady like Sansa. To sew dresses and act all polite. But that’s not me. And Jon knew that. He never judged me for doing what I loved. He actually encouraged me to pursue my dreams and desires. And he gave me my sword, Needle.”

Arya unsheathed Needle and carefully handed it to Daenerys. Dany marveled at the sword.

“It’s beautiful.” Dany said. She held the sword for a few moments before she returned it to Arya.

“He had the blacksmith make it special for me. Light and skinny, just like me. I was so happy that day. I always wanted my very own sword, and Jon gave one to me. I’ve held on to it all this time. It’s helped me more than once. I almost lost it a few times, but I always got it back.”

“But what did your father say about you owning a sword?” asked Dany.

“My father did want me to be a lady. He never wanted me to learn how to fight. He said that “fighting was for boys.” But unlike my mother, he was willing to indulge me. He knew that I wouldn’t give up my sword. So, he relented and hired me a Braavosi swordsman. Syrio Forel. He taught me the style of water dancing.”

“I’ve seen Braavosi water dancing. There was a water dancer in the fighting pits of Mereen. He was extremely skilled.” Dany said.

“Well, Syrio was an amazing instructor. And he was a good friend.” Arya said sadly.

“What happened to him?”

“He was killed. By a Kingsguard named Ser Meryn Trant.”

Dany gasped. “Oh, I’m so sorry Arya.”

“At least I got to avenge him. I found Ser Meryn in Braavos and I killed him.”

“What were you doing in Braavos?” asked Daenerys curiously.

“While I was on the run, me and my friends were captured by the Lannisters. They held us prisoner in Harrenhal. But I befriended a faceless man named Jaqen H’ghar. I saved him and two criminals from dying, and so he offered me three lives in exchange. I had two horrible men killed, but for the last one, I made him help me and my friends to escape.”

Dany listened to Arya’s story with great interest.

“He offered to teach me how to become a Faceless Man. But I refused because I wanted to find my family. Before he left, he gave me a special coin. He told me to give that coin to a man from Braavos and say “Valar Morghulis.”

“All men must die.” said Dany.

“You can speak Valyrian?” asked Arya amazed.

“I am the blood of Old Valyria. Valyrian is my mother tongue.” said Dany.

“Amazing. But anyways, I had some more adventures trying to get back to my family, but they always ended up dying. So I was going to go to the Wall, but the captain of the ship said he was going home to Braavos. So, I gave the man the coin and said the words. I ended up staying at the House of Black and White, and I trained to be a Faceless man.”

Arya sighed.

“But I didn’t belong there. I could not give up my identity, and I could not become one of them because they had no qualms about murdering innocent people. I learned some useful skills, killed one of the ones who was an evil, sadistic bitch, and then I returned to Westeros.”

“You know, I lived in Braavos for a time.” said Dany

“You did?” asked Arya.

“Me and my brother Viserys stayed at a house with a red door and a lemon tree. That house was the only place that really felt like home. We stayed there for a few years but then the assassins came for us, and we had to leave. We lived as beggars for a long time and my brother changed. He became cruel and violent. If I so much as spoke out against him, he would beat me.”

“I’m sorry Daenerys. You didn’t deserve to have that kind of life. And your brother sounds like a real cunt.” said Arya.

Daenerys chuckled. “That’s an understatement. When he sold me to Khal Drogo to get an army, he told me that he would let Drogo’s whole tribe fuck me, all 40,000 men and their horses. And then a few months later, he got drunk and threatened to cut out my unborn baby.”

Arya’s eyes flashed with anger and disgust. “That man is a monster. Is he still alive?”

“No. Khal Drogo got furious and he executed him by pouring molten gold onto his head.”

“Good. That man deserved a painful death.”

Dany sighed. “Yes, but I still felt sadness. For all his cruelty, he was still my brother. He still helped keep me alive. And there was a time when he was a sweet and kind brother. So, I decided to name one of my dragons after him. Viserion. The one that the Night King killed.”

Dany looked down and tried to keep the tears from falling. “It’s funny. I named Viserion after him, but he was nothing like Viserys. Viserion was so gentle and sweet. All he ever wanted was to play with his brothers and for me to show him love. Losing him was just too much to bear.” Dany could no longer hold the tears back.

She felt Arya standing up. Arya walked over to Dany and did something surprising. She hugged Dany. Dany hugged Arya back as she weeped. Arya held Dany.

“So here we both are. Two women who have lost so much and who have lived in Essos before returning home. You lost your dragon to save my brother. So I swear Daenerys, I will help you avenge your child.” Arya swore.

Dany smiled tearfully as she and Arya ended their embrace. She wiped her tears away.

“Thank you, Arya. That means a lot to me. I am so honored to have met you.”

Arya smiled warmly. “And I am honored to have met you. And I am proud to call you a friend.”

Dany smiled and embraced Arya again. “I would be honored to call you a friend as well.”

The two women smiled at each other as they ended their embrace.

“May I ask you something? If you don’t mind, can you tell me how you brought dragons back into the world?” asked Arya.

“Alright. So, I told you, I was sold to Khal Drogo to give my brother an army. The first few weeks were not pleasant. Khal Drogo was forceful on me. I was raped.” Dany recalled.

“I’m so sorry Daenerys.”

“But slowly, I managed to trust him and even care for him. I did love him, and eventually I was pregnant.”

“But how can you love the man who raped you?” asked Arya.

“Looking back, it was not pure love. Not the way I love your brother. But Drogo started treating me well and he protected me from my brother. I did love him, but what I felt for him was nothing compared to how I feel about Jon.” explained Daenerys.

She continued her tale. “During our wedding, one of my gifts was three dragon eggs. Illyrio Mopatis, the man who gave them to me, said that the ages had turned them into stone. But I felt a connection with the eggs.”

“My husband didn’t want to go to Westeros, especially not after my brother’s death. But then a wine merchant tried to poison me. That convinced Drogo to go across the sea and help me take the Iron Throne. So, he took his khalasar and began raiding villages to get supplies.”

“Eventually, he was wounded in a fight with one of his bloodriders who defied me. The man was going to rape the women from one of the village that the Khalassar ransacked. I would not allow it, and so the man, Mago, decided to attack Drogo. Drogo killed Mago but suffered an infectious wound to the shoulder. One of the women claimed to be a healer and offered to treat him. She told me she knew some blood magic that could save him. I foolishly trusted her because I was desperate to save Drogo.”

“She made us kill his horse to be the sacrifice. But it was all a trick. She used her spell to kill my child in my womb. And Drogo was left a shell. He lived but he was not alive. He was an empty shell. I could not bear to leave him like this, so I smothered him to spare him that meaningless existence.”

“Daenerys, I’m so sorry. I thought I suffered but it’s nothing compared to what you went through.”

“No Arya. You have suffered as much as I have. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t have to through the same ordeals I went through, your suffering is not lesser than mine.”

Arya sighed. “I’m just horrified at what you went through.”

“Thank you, Arya. After he died, I built a pyre for him. I had the witch tied to the pyre to make her pay for what she did. I also had my dragon eggs put onto the pyre. When it was lit, I walked into the flames.”

“You walked into the flames?! But, how did you survive?” Arya asked in shock.

“Fire cannot kill a dragon. I don’t remember what happened through the night, but in the morning, I was alive and with me, three baby dragons. My children.” finished Daenerys.

“Whoa. I would have loved to see that.” Arya said in awe.

Dany smiled. “Well, don’t worry. You’ll get to meet two full grown dragons soon enough.”

Arya smiled back. “I don’t know if I will be able to contain myself.”

Dany reached for Arya’s hand. “I promise to introduce you to them soon enough. They will love you.”

Arya squeezed Dany’s hand and gave a warm smile.

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in.” said Arya.

The door opened. It was Jon.

“Well this is a nice sight. My two favorite women becoming friends.” Jon said with a beaming smile. Dany and Arya smiled back.

“Hi Jon.” said Arya.

“Arya, I hate to pull you away from your new friend, but I was hoping that Queen Daenerys and I could speak.” said Jon.

“It’s alright brother. I need to go see someone else anyway.” Arya said as she stood up. She turned to Daenerys. “I’ll see you around, Your Grace.” Arya walked out of the room.

“I’m so glad that you and Arya have taken a liking to each other Dany.” said Jon.

Daenerys gave Jon a loving smile. “She’s wonderful. Just like her brother.” Dany said as she stood up and walked to Jon, giving him a kiss.

“Well, take me on that walk, my love.” said Dany.

Jon smiled and the two walked out of the room and headed outside.

* * *

Tyrion, Varys, and Davos watched as Lord Royce welcomed Lady Alys Karstark.

“Welcome back, my lady.” said Lord Royce as Alys smiled. “If you’ll follow me…” He led her away.

“The Karstarks.” Varys pointed out.

“One of the better sigils.” Tyrion said. “Beats an onion anyway.”

“Can’t argue with that.” Davos chided. “Not so long ago, the Starks and the Karstarks were slaughtering each other on the battlefield. Jon Snow brought peace to the houses.”

“And our queen is grateful.” said Tyrion.

“Her gratitude is lovely, but that’s not my point.” said Davos. “The Northmen are loyal to Jon Snow. Many will give her a chance because Jon trusts her. But others… will be much more difficult to persuade. I’ve been up here a while and I’m telling you; the Northmen are stubborn as goats. If you really want their loyalty, you have to earn it.”

Tyrion stopped and looked thoughtful for a while. Eventually he walked up the battlements to where Davos and Varys were standing.

“I sense that you’re leading to a proposal.” he said.

“A proposal is what I’m proposing.” Davos said. “On the off chance that we survive the Night King, what if the Seven Kingdoms, for once in their whole shit history, were ruled by a just woman and an honorable man?” proposed Davos.

The three men looked at Jon and Daenerys who were walking and talking together outside the walls of Winterfell.

“They do make a handsome couple.” Tyrion noted.

“You overestimate our influence.” said Varys. “Jon and Daenerys don’t want to listen to lonely old men.”

“I’m not that old.” Tyrion pointed out. “Not as old as him.” he nodded towards Davos who chuckled. “Our queen respects the wisdom of age.”

“Of course she does.” Varys agreed “Respect is how the young keep us at a distance, so we don’t remind them of an unpleasant truth.”

“What is that?” asked Tyrion.

“Nothing lasts.” answered Varys.

* * *

Outside the walls of Winterfell, Jon and Dany walked through the camps that were set up.

“Your sister Arya is an amazing woman. She and I had so many stories to exchange.” said Dany.

Jon smiled. “I knew she was going to like you. And I’m happy that you managed to make a friend Dany. Well, a friend who isn’t Ghost.” he chuckled. Dany laughed.

But then her face turned serious. “But your sister Sansa doesn’t like me.”

Jon sighed. “I’m sorry Dany. Sansa has been through a lot. It’s hard for her to trust anyone. Just give her time. She’ll come around and see that you are a good person.” Jon promised.

“Of course. But Jon, I am Queen. I need her to respect me. She doesn’t need to be my friend, but if she can’t respect me, then others will do the same.” explained Daenerys.

“The next time I see her, I will tell her that she will not be allowed to that again. We can’t afford to fight amongst ourselves. But please, just be patient and gentle with her.”

Dany nodded. She then saw some of her Dothraki riders arriving. She and Jon walked towards them.

“_How many?”_ asked Dany in Dothraki.

“_Only eighteen goats and eleven sheep.”_ answered her blood rider. The Dothraki then rode back to camp.

“What’s the matter?” asked Jon.

“The dragons are barely eating.” answered Dany concerned.

The two of them walked towards the resting spot of Drogon and Rhaegal. There were bones scattered around the dragons. The dragons noticed their mother and Jon arriving and Drogon lowered his snout to Daenerys.

“What’s wrong with them?” asked Jon.

“They are still mourning their brother. And I don’t think they like the North.” said Daenerys as she pets Drogon. Rhaegal moved his face closer to Jon. Jon was hesitant.

“It’s alright my love. He just wants to know you. Touch him.” reassured Daenerys.

With great care, Jon slowly put his hand on Rhaegal’s snout. The dragon felt so warm… Jon closed his eyes. He was starting to feel something inside him as he continued to touch Rhaegal. It was almost like what he felt with Ghost. It made him feel powerful, special.

Daenerys climbed onto Drogon’s back. With a smirk she nodded to Jon. “Go on.” she urged.

Jon was in shock. ‘_Daenerys is telling me to ride a dragon’_?! “I don’t know how to ride a dragon.”

“Nobody does. Until they ride a dragon.” Dany pointed out.

“But what if he doesn’t want me to?” asked Jon nervously.

“Then I’ve enjoyed your company, Jon Snow.” replied Daenerys.

Jon finally relented with a scoff. He climbed onto Rhaegal’s back with a bit of difficulty. He grabbed onto Rhaegal’s greenish scales. “What do I hold onto?”

“Whatever you can.” was the answer of the Mother of Dragons.

Jon held on tightly to Rhaegal’s scales. As soon as he had a tight grip….

“WHOAAAAAAAH!” cried Jon as Rhaegal lifted himself into the air and flew off at high speeds.

Daenerys smiled and then urged Drogon to take flight. They managed to quickly catch up with Jon and Rhaegal.

It was a totally new experience for Jon. He held on tightly to Rhaegal’s back. Jon gritted his teeth. He could feel the wind blowing through his hair; into his face. It was such an overwhelming feeling.

But as soon as he closed his eyes, he felt something.

It was as if he had a second soul. And then he heard it.

_Come on. You don’t have to be so scared. You managed to come back from the dead. Surely, you can ride me._

_Let go Jon Snow. Let go of your fears. You are me. We are one. Feel me. Let me in. Become the Dragon!_

Jon suddenly opened his eyes and he felt a strong, fiery determination. He held onto Rhaegal. He rode the dragon along the walls of Winterfell.

On the ground, many of the Northmen watched in great awe. Seeing their lord riding one of the great beasts of legend. Arya, who was walking outside, noticed and let out a proud smile. Her brother has become a dragon rider. She also had a look of playful jealousy. Tyrion, Varys, and Davos all watched in awe and shock, their jaws dropping.

Suddenly Daenerys and Drogon flew in front of them. Daenerys looked back. Jon and Dany’s eyes met. She smirked before turning around.

_Come on rider. You want to make her proud, right?_

Jon slowly felt more at ease. He held on tightly to Rhaegal.

Drogon dove downwards into a nearby ravine; Rhaegal accelerating to catch up to him.

Jon felt it. The fire. The fire that was burning in him when he fought Ramsay Bolton. When he fought the Walkers at Hardhome. When he made sweet love to his beloved Dany. When they declared their undying love for each other.

_Let go Jon. Become fire. Become a dragon._

All his life, people treated Jon like he was filth just because he was a bastard. And he always told himself that he was lesser than everyone else. That cruel voice always whispered to him, “_Bastard. You will never belong. You are a lesser being. You don’t deserve happiness.”_

But no longer. This amazing woman declared her love for him, people chose him as their leader, the dragons accepted him.

_Let go Jon. Make my mother proud. Prove that you are truly worthy._

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!” Jon roared as Rhaegal descended, moving at a high speed.

But as soon as Rhaegal ascended, Jon no longer felt any fear. He could feel Rhaegal. He felt his heart and soul ignite. Rhaegal has become a part of him.

_Yes. Feel me. Be me. Let us become one. Father._

Suddenly, the harsh winds felt like gentle breezes. He no longer felt powerful gusts threatening to knock him off. He was one with Rhaegal. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. ‘_Well, after being with Dany.’ _

He then noticed something and smirked towards Dany. He urged Rhaegal to turn.

Daenerys noticed and gave a proud smirked as she urged Drogon to follow his brother.

Jon feels free. When he was able to get Rhaegal to fly at a calm speed, he let go of Rhaegal’s spikes and spread his arms out. He laughed heartily. “WHOOOOOOOOOH!!!!!” he shouted.

Dany smiled lovingly at Jon and urged Drogon to cruise right along with Rhaegal. She let out a shout of her own as she spread her arms out. “WHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!”

Jon smiled at his beautiful queen. He saw where he wanted to land and urged Rhaegal to descend. Dany descended too.

Jon felt his hear beating rapidly as he climbed off Rhaegal. But he then felt Rhaegal nudge his side. He smiled at Rhaegal and leaned into him. “That was so amazing boy!” he said to Rhaegal.

Dany then stepped forward to lovingly stroke Rhaegal. “I’m so proud of you, my sweet boy!” She then turned to Jon. “Did you enjoy it?”

“You have completely ruined horses for me.” Jon said. Dany giggled.

“It was so wonderful. I’ve never felt so powerful and so free in my whole life. And he was amazing, just like his amazing mother!” Jon continued.

Dany smiled and leaned in to kiss Jon. But Jon quickly broke the kiss. “Come I want to show you something.”

Jon lead Dany to one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen in her entire life. There was a waterfall. A beautiful glacial waterfall with flowing water, fresh fallen snow all around. It was such a breathtaking sight.

“We could stay for a thousand years. No one would find us.” Dany said lovingly to Jon. Jon smiled.

“We’d be pretty old.” he said humorously.

Daenerys gave a breathtaking loving smile. She walked to Jon and Jon walked to her.

“It’s cold up here for a southern girl.” he joked.

“So keep your queen warm.” said Daenerys seductively.

Jon pulled Dany into his arms and kissed her passionately. The two lovers continued loving kissing as they embraced.

A loud and deep grumbling growl broke the two apart. They turned to see Drogon and Rhaegal watching the two intently.

Daenerys smiled brightly. “Don’t mind them my love.” Dany cupped Jon’s face once again and brought his mouth to hers in a sweet kiss. She moaned.

Jon has never felt so happy. While he was kissing her, he opened his eyes and noticed Drogon staring at him intently. The black dragon’s burning red eyes were conveying a very simple message that any member of any species would understand.

‘_You hurt my mother, and I will fucking burn you to cinders.’_

Jon broke the kiss. “Come on, my love. I think we need to continue this away from their eyes.”

Dany wanted to continue but indulged Jon. Jon lead Daenerys to the back of the waterfall, where there was a cave.

Now that they were completely alone, Jon kissed Daenerys passionately as he pushed her against the wall. Daenerys moaned as she kissed Jon back.

The two of them began tearing their clothes off each other. It was a bit slow as they were too busy kissing each other.

Dany’s fur coat came off, revealing her beautiful body. Jon leaned in and kissed her neck. He brought his lips down to her collarbone and sucked on her pulse. Before he went down to her breasts and drew one of her nipples into his mouth.

Dany moaned loudly. “Oh Jon. My love. I love you so, so much. Don’t stop.”

Jon continued to kiss her breast before kneeling down before her and taking her boots off. He then grabbed one of Dany’s dainty feet and kissed it. He kissed each toe, before he moved to the top of her foot.

Dany leaned her head back into the rock wall. Gods, how she loved this man.

Noticing that Jon still had some of his clothes on, Dany growled. She began tearing off Jon’s cloak and his tunic. She grabbed Jon’s head and brought his lips back to hers. Jon helped her remove his pants and boots.

Once the two of them were completely naked, Jon grabbed Dany by her arse and lifted her into his arms. Dany wrapped her legs around Jon and made sure to keep her arms around his head and neck as the two continued to kiss heatedly. The two could hardly feel the cold as they rubbed off against each other.

Jon could not bear it anymore. He needed to be inside of her. And based on how wet he felt she was, she felt the same way. He noticed that their cloaks were spread out like a blanket on the floor. He kneeled down and laid Dany on her back as he moved on top of her.

Dany hardly felt the hard floor as she lay on the cloaks that they discarded. All she felt was the warm and amazing body of her beloved Jon. She then felt the amazing sensation of his hard length sliding into her tight walls.

Feeling Dany’s hot and wet walls around his cock, Jon began thrusting. Slow at first but gradually picking up the pace.

The two lovers roared loudly as they continued their passionate lovemaking. They lost track of time, of everything. The only thing that mattered to them was each other.

Eventually Jon and Dany both reached their climax. Jon let himself slowly sink into Daenerys, resting his head on her chest. Dany held Jon to her chest, softly stroking his hair.

For a while, the two lovers laid together before Jon rolled off of Dany and pulled her into his chest.

“I love you so fucking much Dany.”

“I love you too Jon. So, so, so much.”

While they laid down, Jon suddenly remembered Davos’s words. _‘When the dead come, do you want to have any regrets?’_

“Dany.”

“Hmm?”

“I want to ask you something.”

“What is it my love?”

“Marry me.”

Dany looked up at Jon in shock.

“…W-What?” Dany stuttered, taken by surprise at her beloved’s proposal.

“Be with me Dany. Become mine and let me become yours forever. Marry me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“But wouldn’t the Northern Lords…”

“Fuck them. Fuck anyone who tells us that this is a mistake. This is the most right thing in the world to me. All my life, I made choices for other people. I want to make a choice for myself. I want nothing more than for you to become my wife.” Jon said.

“I know I am a bastard unworthy of such a gorgeous goddess like you, and I don’t have much to offer. But I offer this. My complete and undying love. My heart. Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen…” Jon took both of Dany’s hands in his.

“…Will you make me the happiest man in the world, and accept my hand in marriage? With nothing but my heart to offer?” asked Jon with tears in his eyes. Daenerys smiled tearfully and cupped Jon’s face.

“Jon Snow, I accept. I love you more than anything in the world. I don’t care that you’re a bastard. I love you for you, not your name or whatever title you have. I would be honored to call you my husband. And my King.” Dany accepted.

The two newly betrothed lovers kissed passionately.

After all the horrible things they have suffered in their lives, they have finally found true happiness. They have found their home. With each other.

Outside the dragons roared and distantly, the wolf’s howl could be heard as they sang in happiness for the union of Ice and Fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well there we have it my friends! Jon has bonded with Rhaegal, Dany and Arya have become good friends, Jon’s people and Dany’s people begin bonding, and soon wedding bells will be heard! I am so proud of this chapter! A big thank you to my good friend Longclaw_1_6! He helped me with many of the scenes and with the dragon ride. I was hugely inspired by Dakkamann777 and Longclaw for the dragon ride! I hope I delivered good enough! And now Jon and Daenerys are betrothed! The union of Ice and Fire! My beloved King and Queen deserve all the happiness in the world! I promise not to make you wait as long on Chapter 6. We will see more reunions, more bonding moments, and some pretty big moments! See all of you soon! Please leave me a review! I would prefer lengthy reviews, but short ones are great too!


	6. Rising Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Truths are revealed, arguments are had, and darkness is coming...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello my dear readers. So, I hope all of you are safe during this scary time. Stay home and wash your hands. But I know that many of you are bored with having to stay home. So I hope that this chapter will provide all of you with some entertainment. And I promise to have more chapters as soon as I can. So this chapter will be a bit shorter but some important stuff happens here. And also… Well, you’ll see when you read it. So enjoy the story!

It was dark and quiet at the Last Hearth. Too quiet for the liking of Tormund and Beric Dondarion. The two had witnessed the Night King destroy the Wall with his new dragon. They were lucky to have survived. Tormund and Beric led the survivors through the castle. Slowly and quietly. Just in case the dead were hiding here waiting to ambush them.

They noticed pools of blood all over the snowy ground. There were destroyed things scattered all over the place. Something bad had most definitely happened here.

Tormund stopped in front of the door that leads into the castle. He turned around and shared a look with Beric. The two men silently nodded to each other. Unsheathing his sword, Beric took the lead into the dark halls of the castle.

The sounds of their boots echoed through the halls as the survivors traversed the dark and seemingly empty castle. They could not see or hear anything. Until… the sound of extra footsteps came into hearing.

The men quickly hid behind the walls. Making sure their weapons were ready, and Beric lighting up his sword with flames, Tormund and the others screamed as they charged at the sound. They quickly ran into the source of the sound. But it wasn’t wights. It was Dolorous Edd and men from the Night’s Watch. They had their weapons drawn as well.

“STAY BACK! He’s got blue eyes!” shouted Edd.

“I’ve always had blue eyes!” screamed Tormund.

After a moment, Edd sighed and shook his head in annoyance before smiling and embracing Tormund. Tormund did the same. The short reunion was then interrupted.

“Did you find anyone?” asked Dondarion.

Edd looked at them with a forlorn look. He led Tormund and Beric into the Great Hall. He led them to the wall to find a horrifyingly gruesome sight. Beric used his flaming sword to help them see it better.

It was young Ned Umber. Dead and pinned to the wall with dismembered limbs surrounding him, making a spiral shape.

“The Umber boy.” Tormund said. He didn’t have much love for the Umbers, but this poor child did not deserve this horrible fate.

“It’s a message. From the Night King.” Beric pointed out.

“His army’s between us and Winterfell. We’re on foot.” said Tormund.

“We rode down from Castle Black.” Edd stated. “We can double up on the horses.”

“If the horses last, we’ll get there before the dead. We just have to hope the Night King doesn’t come first.” Tormund said before…..

**SHRIEK!!!!!!!!!!!**

The earsplitting screech came from little Ned Umber, who now had blue eyes. Tormund stumbled back as the noise startled him, while Beric quickly thrust his flaming sword into the wight. Not only was Ned Umber ignited, but so were all the limbs he was attached to.

The wight continued to let out bloodcurdling shrieks as he burned before the shrieks finally stopped.

The men looked on in horror as they stared at the burning spiral shape.

The Great War and the Long Night has begun.

* * *

“Mmm.” moaned Jon as he slowly woke up. He opened his eyes and woke to see the most beautiful woman in the world sleeping in his arms. The woman who will become his wife. His sweet, beloved Dany. He smiled as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. The action stirred Dany out of her sleep.

The silver-haired beauty opened her violet eyes to look into the grey eyes of her other half. The man she loved more than anything in the world, the man who would become her husband. She smiled lovingly at him.

“My handsome wolf.” she said.

“My beautiful dragon.” Jon replied. He bent down to gently kiss her. A simple brush of lips.

“Mmm. I want nothing more than to stay here with you.” Dany said.

“I’ve never wanted anything as badly as I want to be with you.” Jon replied. “But we people who depend on us. And you and I will never give up on them.”

“That’s why I love you Jon. You are the best man I have ever known. You have the same mindset as me. You never give up on your people.” Dany said as she wrapped her arms around Jon and buried her face into his neck.

“I can’t wait for us to be married. To call you mine forever. It will be the happiest day of my life Dany.”

Dany smiled but then the smiled died. Jon noticed.

“What’s wrong my love?” he asked.

“Jon. I want nothing more than to be your wife and to call you my husband and my King. But I told you, I can’t have children. Are you okay with that? Never being able to hold a child of your own in your arms?”

Jon looked at Dany with a sad but lovingly look. “Let me tell you something Dany. When I was young, I went to this brothel. And I saw this gorgeous redheaded whore named Ros.”

“Are you trying to get me jealous?” asked Dany.

“No, but I do love seeing the jealousy in your eyes.” said Jon playfully as he kissed Dany on the nose. “She had her clothes off. And I almost did it with her. But I didn’t.”

“Why? Were you too nervous?” asked Dany curiously.

“No, it wasn’t that. I knew what to do. But I didn’t do it because I did not want to get her pregnant. I’ve told you about my life. I did have a roof over my head and I had food, but many people still treated me like dirt because I was a bastard. I didn’t want to give a child that life. Life as a bastard is not the best kind, and I did not want a child of mine to be treated with the same scorn I was because his mother and I weren’t married.” Jon finished his story.

“I would have loved to have a child with you. Because I know that it would have the best life with us, that we would love him or her with everything. But I accepted a long time ago that I was never going to have a child. Even if you had complete proof that you couldn’t have children, I would still want only you as my wife.”

Dany stared at Jon with tears and cupped his face before kissing him lovingly. When they broke apart, she said “Jon my love. I promise when we take the Throne, I will make sure that all children, bastard or trueborn, are treated with nothing but love and respect. I promise no child will ever have to live with scorn just because their parents weren’t married.”

Jon smiled. “And I will be proud to do it by your side, my dragon.”

The two betrothed lovers kissed passionately for a few moments. When they finally stopped, Jon said with reluctance “We better get going. We can’t have our people send search parties for us.”

Dany sighed. “I know. I don’t want to leave, but our people need us. Let’s return to them, my King.”

“As you wish, my Queen.”

Jon and Daenerys put on their clothes before stepping outside where Drogon and Rhaegal were waiting for them. Jon climbed on Rhaegal and Daenerys climbed on Drogon, and the two dragons took off into the air, flying back to Winterfell with their mother and her mate.

* * *

That night in the forges of Winterfell, Gendry and many other skilled smiths were working as hard as they could to make as many dragonglass weapons possible. Hammers pounded; metal was molded down to make weapons. It was a tough process, but Gendry and the other smiths managed to get it done.

Swords, axes, spears, shields, arakhs, and even arrows were all made or coated with dragonglass. Thanks to the amount of dragonglass they had, and the smiths all working hard, they would at least have a fighting chance against the Dead.

“Gendry! He’s here!” shouted one of the blacksmiths. Gendry knew who it was.

Gendry grabbed the large double sided axe that was requested for him. “It isn’t easy making a blade that big with dragonglass.” he said as he carried the weapon to the person he made it for: Sandor Clegane.

Sandor took the weapon from Gendry and ran his fingers on the side, admiring it. “You’re saying you’re good, is that it?” Sandor asked mockingly.

“I’m just saying that it’s a tricky material to--”

“You know who makes weapons for the wildlings?” Sandor asked as he interrupted Gendry. “Cripples and cocksuckers. Which one are you?”

“Leave him be.” a female voice said behind Clegane.

Both men turned to find the source of the voice. It was someone neither of them had seen for a very long time. Arya Stark.

“I heard you were here.” Sandor said. “You left me to die.” remembering how Arya left him on that hillside after his brutal duel with Brienne of Tarth.

“First I robbed you.” Arya remined him, not the least bit afraid.

Sandor stood up and walked to Arya. The two of them stared at each other down.

“You’re a cold little bitch, aren’t you?” Sandor could see how much Arya had changed. _‘She’s a real killer now. A survivor.’_ And his glare turned into a barely noticeable smile. “Guess that’s why you’re still alive.” Sandor would never tell her, but he was proud of the wolf girl. She’s gone from a pup barely learning to stay alive to a real she-wolf.

Sandor then walked away. As he did so, Arya watched him as he left. She let out a tiny smile, before she turned to greet Gendry. _‘The stupid bull who I missed so much.’_

“That was nice axe you made for him. You’ve gotten better.” Arya complemented Gendry.

“Yeah, thanks. So have you.” said Gendry as Arya smiled out. “I mean, you look good.” But that was an understatement. Arya was no longer the small, annoying little girl that he met and traveled with. Sure, she was still small and lean, but she has grown into a beautiful woman.

“Thanks. So do you.” Arya replied. _‘I wonder if his muscles and his body had grown.’ _

Gendry turned around to continue his work. “It’s not a bad place to grow up, if it wasn’t so cold.”

“Stay close to that forge then.”

“Is that a command, Lady Stark?” Gendry asked playfully as he remembered how Arya hated it when he called her ‘milady’.

“Don’t call me that.”

“As you wish, milady.” Gendry smirked.

Arya smiled and then chuckled. He was still the Gendry she knew. One of the few people she completely trusted while on the run. She would not tell him this, but she really, really missed him. She was so elated to see him alive.

Arya reached into her pockets and took out a scroll and handed it to Gendry. “Here’s my wish.”

Gendry took the scroll from Arya and unfolded it. It was a design for a weapon. Two dragonglass blades connected by a detachable wooden shaft.

“Can you make it?” Arya asked.

“What do you need something like this for?” Gendry asked confusedly.

“Can you make it or not?” Arya asked annoyed.

“You already have a sword.” Gendry pointed out. “What’s that?” He pointed to the other blade strapped to her.

Arya took out her Valyrian steel small blade: Wolf Fang. The blade she used to cut the throat of that slimy snake, Littlefinger. She handed it to Gendry.

“This is Valyrian steel.” Gendry said, fascinated by the dagger. “I always knew you were just another rich girl.

Arya simply smirked at Gendry as she took Wolf Fang back and sheathed it. “You don’t know any other rich girls.”

Arya then walked away. Gendry stared after her. Arya noticed and turned around to give Gendry a playful smile as she continued walking.

As Arya was leaving, she noticed a skinny dragonglass blade. Not skinny like Needle, but skinny enough that even an untrained squire could use it properly. She picked it up and smiled. This would make a perfect weapon to train Daenerys with. Well, after they used wooden swords for basics. Arya smiled and took the blade with her, excited to begin training her friend on how to defend herself.

* * *

Inside the study of Winterfell, Sansa was reading a scroll. One that did not have good news. She heard a knock.

“Come in.” she called.

It was Jon. Just the man she wanted to talk to. _‘Let me tell him what he has done by bringing that silver-haired bitch to Winterfell.’_

“Lord Glover wishes us good fortune, but he’s staying in Deepwood Motte with his men.” Sansa informed Jon.

Jon could not believe it. He kicked a chair furiously. “That fucking lying craven! I remember that deserting fucker saying, ‘House Glover will stand behind House Stark for a Thousand Years’.”

“’I will stand behind Jon Snow’, he said.” Sansa said as she furiously stood up and shot Jon with a cold look. “The King in the North”.

Sansa walked towards a table as Jon spoke in an annoyed voice. “Gods Sansa, I told you that we needed allies.”

“You didn’t tell me you were going to abandon your crown.” Sansa said.

“I never wanted a crown! All I wanted was to protect the North. I brought two armies home with me. I brought two dragons.” said Jon.

“And a Targaryen Queen.” sneered Sansa.

Jon could not believe it. They were facing the greatest threat the world has ever seen and Sansa was whining about Daenerys being a Targaryen? He is going to put a stop to her insolence.

“Do you really think we can beat the Army of the Dead without her? I fought them Sansa! Twice! We lost both times!” Jon was losing his patience at having to continue to explain how grave this threat is. “And now I’ve brought the person who is our best hope against them here and all you want to do is whine about who holds what titles! It doesn’t matter! Without her we don’t stand a chance!”

Sansa’s face grew a bit sad. Jon softened. As angry and annoyed as he was with her, she was still his sister. He sighed. “Look Sansa. I know you’ve been through so much. And I know it’s hard for you to trust a stranger. If I could undo everything you went through, I would.”

Sansa gave Jon a small smile. “I know you would.”

“But please, just give her a chance. You don’t even know her.” Jon begged

Sansa’s smile turned into a frown. “I don’t want to know her.” snapped Sansa.

“Alright. You don’t need to be her friend. But she is the Queen. You will treat her with respect. You will not insult her or spite her. She came here to help us even though it means delaying her goal of taking the Iron Throne.” ordered Jon.

“Fine. I won’t insult her at meetings. But don’t think that I will be nice to her.” Sansa relented.

“Why do you hate her so much Sansa? She has never done anything to us.”

“Her father burned our uncle and grandfather alive.” Sansa said.

“She’s not her father Sansa! She wasn’t even born when those things happened!” Jon shouted in anger. “You cannot judge her by the sins of her family members.”

“You gave up your crown because of her, Jon. After how hard we fought to take back the North, you gave it away. And it’s all because of her.”

Jon sighed. He didn’t want to hear anymore of this. “Look Sansa, I understand how important freedom is. But we fought to be free from monsters and tyrants. Daenerys is neither of those things. She’ll be a good queen for all of us.”

“And like I said, you will treat her with respect, or you and I will have problems. And problems are the last thing we need right now.”

With that Jon started to leave. But Sansa called out to him.

“I want to know something Jon. Did you bend the knee to save the North, or because you love her?” she asked.

Jon turned around. _‘She must really think I’m a fool.’_ Jon angrily walked back towards Sansa, who had a slightly fearful expression.

“Aye, I do love her. But I fell in love with her before I even bent the knee. She saved my life Sansa. Without her I would have died North of the Wall. But she saved me even though I was not her loyal subject.” Jon walked closer to Sansa. “And she finally said she would help us even though I still had not bent the knee. That’s when I realized she is a queen worth following. Only then did I bend the knee. Remember that Sansa. That because of her, you still have one of your brothers alive.” Jon explained fiercely.

Walking back to the door, Jon hoped Sansa would finally leave it alone. He didn’t want to lose her, but Daenerys is the most important person to him right now. He will not allow anyone to threaten her. Jon opened the door and stopped. He turned around to say one last thing to Sansa.

“Oh and thank you for telling me about Lord Glover. If somehow the Night King doesn’t attack his castle, when we’re done with the dead I will go and execute that fucking cowardly piece of filth.” Jon declared with a dark and burning look in his grey eyes. With that he left, closing the door and leaving Sansa alone in the study.

Sansa was furious with Jon. The North had finally won its freedom and he just gave it away to some pretty foreigner. Men are so stupid when it comes to love. _‘Jon is letting that dragon bitch to manipulate him and steal our freedom’_.

Jon has changed. Whenever he would argue with her before, he would do so in a soft but cold voice. But now it’s different. His voice is louder. And he is more determined to disagree with her. And his eyes. At time it was like a fire was burning through them. She almost felt it when Jon directed his angry stare to her.

Sansa sat down where she was reading the scrolls. She put her head down and her eyes closed as a painful memory came to her.

_“Oh my pretty little Sansa. You belong to me. Forever. I will fuck your pretty body every day for the rest of your life. And your soft white skin will be perfect for my practice.”_

_Sansa cried as she was tied to the bed. Her vile husband, Ramsay Bolton, was standing over her with a sadistic, bloodthirsty grin._

_“Why the tears, my beloved wife? You are where you belong. Home. With me. And you are not going anywhere. Now, let’s get on to producing my heir, shall we?”_

_Ramsay started ripping off Sansa’s clothes as she screamed, cried, and struggled._

Sansa opened her eyes and breathed heavily. She has not forgotten about her time with that monster. It was her worst memories. Even worse than Joffrey’s antics.

Sansa knew there was only one way to make sure she would be safe forever, never at the mercy of another person. She must take her rightful and well-deserved place as Queen in the North. She may despise the Dragon Queen, but she knows how to handle this. She will first attempt to convince her to relinquish control of the North to her, and if she refuses… She will find a way.

* * *

Daenerys was following Jorah into the library. Jorah told her that there was someone he wanted her to meet. The man who saved his life and cured him of Greyscale. Daenerys owed this man a lot. Without him, her beloved friend and advisor would not have returned to her. She would promise to reward him with whatever he wanted.

The library was empty and quiet. Except for the sound of pages turning. It didn’t take too long for Daenerys and Jorah to find the man who was turning those pages: Samwell Tarly.

Daenerys smiled and cleared her throat to get his attention. It worked.

“Oh!” Sam quickly stood up to and faced the woman who he knew must be Daenerys Targaryen.

“So, you’re the man?” Daenerys asked with a kind smile.

“Um, which man am I…your grace?” Sam asked nervously. He heard the Dragon Queen was beautiful, but he didn’t think she was that beautiful.

“The man who saved Ser Jorah when no one else could.” Dany answered.

“They could have…they just wouldn’t.” Jorah pointed out.

Sam smiled. He was happy to see Ser Jorah back on his feet. And he looked happy to be serving Daenerys Targaryen. Sam also took pride in being probably the only man who cured an adult of Greyscale without getting himself infected.

“I’ll have to make some changes in the Citadel when I take my throne. A great service merits a great reward.” Daenerys kindly said as she stepped closer to Sam.

“Oh, it’s my honour to serve you, your grace.” Sam humbly replied.

“There must be something I can do for you. Name it and if it’s in my power I will grant it.” Dany generously offered, eager to reward the man who saved the life of one of her dearest friends.

“Well then, if it’s not too much trouble… I could use a pardon.” Sam replied

“For what crime?” asked Dany curiously. Surely a kind and gentle man could not have committed too great a crime. And from what Jon told her, Sam was one of his closest friends, so she will do whatever she could for him.

“I…borrowed a few books from the Citadel…” Sam began embarrassedly.

Daenerys and Jorah both shared a smile. Stealing books from small-minded old men who refused to help Jorah was hardly a crime in Dany’s eyes; she could easily and would gladly give him a pardon for that.

“…Oh, and also a sword.” Sam finished.

“From the Citadel?” Dany asked with confusion.

“From my family…it’s been in House Tarly for generations; so, eventually it would have been mine. But my father had…other ideas” Sam clarified.

A frown started to form on Dany’s face. Tarly. That was Sam’s family name. And she executed his father and brother.

“Not Randyll Tarly?” Daenerys asked.

“You know him?” Sam asked nervously

“Sam, your family was sworn to House Tyrell, weren’t they?” Daenerys asked.

“Yes, they are.” Sam answered.

“House Tyrell pledged their allegiance to me when I came to Westeros. But the Tarlys betrayed them and sided with the Lannisters. Your father knew that Cersei Lannister had murdered Lord Mace Tyrell, Queen Margaery Tyrell, and Ser Loras Tyrell, and he helped the Lannisters to exterminate what was left of House Tyrell.” Daenerys explained, wanting Sam to at least be able to understand why she did what she is about to reveal to him.

“My father was many things, but I’ve never known him to be a man who breaks his oath.” Sam replied confused.

“I’m afraid he was. I defeated him and the Lannisters in battle, and I gave him multiple opportunities to keep his lands and titles, I even offered him to join the Night’s Watch if he really didn’t want to bend the knee to me, but he refused at every turn. So, I had no other choice but to execute him as a traitor.” Daenerys finished explaining. She hated having to break this news to Sam.

Sam was in shock. His father was dead. He couldn’t actually believe it. But to be honest, he wasn’t as sad as he probably should be. His father was extremely cruel to him, threatening to kill him if he didn’t take the Black, and hatefully insulting his beloved Gilly and Little Sam. Sam was not happy that his father was dead but he wasn’t sad about it either. And if his father was dead…

“Well, at least I will be able to go home again to Horn Hill. Now that my brother is the Lord.” Sam was conflicted, but he understood why Daenerys did what she did.

Daenerys really hated having to also tell Sam about his brother’s fate. “Your brother stood with your father.”

Sam could feel the tears in his eyes beginning to form. His breath became shaky. He was ready to give in to his emotions, but he did not want to appear weak in front of the Queen.

“Th-Thank you…y-your Grace…for…telling me. M-May I?” Sam muttered between sniffs.

“Of course. Take as much time as you need.” said Daenerys gently.

As Sam left the room with tears in his eyes, Daenerys was lost in sad thoughts. She couldn’t change her mind about executing Randyll Tarly; it was necessary. She just wishes that she didn’t have to hurt the man who saved her friend’s life.

Jorah put his arm on his Khaleesi and offered her words of comfort. “It’s alright Khaleesi. Don’t hurt yourself over this. Just give him some time. I’m sure he will understand it and forgive you.”

“I hope so Jorah. I did what needed to be done, but I didn’t know that it would actually hurt now.” Daenerys said sadly.

Jorah sighed and he embraced Daenerys, calmly and gently reassuring her.

* * *

Sam walked out of the library and headed outside. It was dark and people were still busy preparing for the battle to come.

Sam quickly walked down the stairs and was startled by a horse pulled coach. After taking a moment to regain his senses, Sam noticed Bran watching him. Sam made his way over to Bran.

“What are you doing out here?” Sam asked.

“Waiting for an old friend.” Bran answered. But Sam had a confused face.

“Daenerys told you about your father and brother.”

“Yes. I think we need to tell Jon the truth now. Make him see that Daenerys is not fit to be Queen.” Sam said.

“No. Jon must know the truth, but you cannot tear him and Daenerys apart. Jon needs her and she needs him.

“Bran! She killed my father and brother! Just like how Joffrey killed your father!” shouted Sam.

“No Sam.” Bran said firmly. “Joffrey was a false king. And he did not give my father a choice. Daenerys was telling the truth. The Tarlys betrayed the Tyrells and sided with the Lannisters. And they raided and stole food from their fellow Reachmen.” Bran continued explaining. “Daenerys knew that they helped to kill one of her allies, but she still gave your father the chance to keep his land and titles. He refused, and he refused the Wall when that was offered. Your father chose to die. And your brother made the same choice.” finished Bran.

“But…” Sam started.

“’If you do not take the Black, then tomorrow, we’ll have a hunt. And somewhere in these woods, you’ll be thrown from your saddle to die. Or so I’ll tell your mother. Nothing would please me more.’ That’s what your father told you. Remember?” Bran reminded Sam.

Sam put his down. He remembers that all too well. His father wanted to get rid of him because Sam liked reading instead of fighting. And if killing him was the way to get rid of him, Randyll Tarly would have happily done it. And Dickon. Dickon was not cruel; he was a decent man. But he always blindly followed their father on everything. No matter how cruel or wrong it was.

Sam also realized the difference between their executions and Ned Stark’s execution. Ned Stark was not given a choice. He was executed right away. Daenerys at least gave his father and brother the choice to keep their titles or even go to the Wall, but they both chose to die.

“Sam.” Bran called to him. Sam’s eyes moved back to Sam.

“It’s time to tell Jon the truth. But remember, you must not try to turn him against Daenerys. Tell him he is a trueborn heir to House Targaryen, but he and Daenerys can rule together. His feelings for her should not change because of this.”

“His feelings for her?” Sam asked curiously.

“Tell him what Daenerys told you. Watch what he will say. Pay attention. Then tell him what his real name is.”

“But, shouldn’t you tell him? You’re his brother.” Sam pointed out.

“I know. But he trusts you. And I need to wait here for my old friend. I need you to tell him. But don’t try to destroy his happiness. Go. Jon is in the Crypts.” said Bran.

Sam nodded and made his way to the Crypts, where he will tell his best friend something that will completely change his life.

* * *

In the Crypts, Jon was standing in front of the statue of his father, Eddard Stark. It’s been such a long time, but his loss still hurts. Jon wishes his father were here. To see how happy he has become. He would also love to ask his father for more advice on leading. _‘I’ll make you proud Father. I promise I will not let the North be destroyed by the Night King.’_

**CRASH!!!**

Jon heard someone shouting and crashing down the stairs to the Crypts. Jon turned around to see who it was. He was surprised to see that it was someone he had not seen in a long time. His best friend Sam.

“Sam?”

As he got up and dusted himself off, Sam said “I’m sorry. I know I’m not supposed to be down here. But…” Sam didn’t get to finish as Jon embraced him tightly. Sam quickly returned the hug. He had missed Jon a lot.

“Were you hiding from me?” asked Jon good-naturedly.

“Of course not.” said Sam.

“What are you doing in Winterfell? Or did you read every book in the Citadel already?” inquired Jon. However, Jon noticed that Sam had a sad look on his face. “What’s wrong? Gilly? Is she all right?”

“She’s good.” Sam reassured.

“Little Sam?” Jon asked but Sam didn’t answer.

“Don’t you know?” Sam asked.

“Know what?”

“Daenerys. She executed my father and brother.” Sam answered.

Jon was shocked to hear that. He had told Daenerys that Sam was his best friend, but he forgot to mention his last name. If he had, Daenerys would have told him. But he remembers her telling him that she had executed two lords because they refused to bend the knee and also refused the Wall. They must have been Sam’s father and brother.

“I’m so sorry Sam. But we need to focus on the dead.” said Jon.

“Would you have done it?” asked Sam.

“I’m sorry to say this Sam, but yes. You know that I have executed men for disobeying me.”

“But you also spared men. Thousands of wildlings when they refused to kneel.”

“And you think she hasn’t spared men? When I first went to Dragonstone, I refused to bend the knee to her. She didn’t execute me and she didn’t imprison me. She actually allowed me to mine the dragonglass that you told me about.” Jon stated in a fierce tone. Sam was surprised to hear that.

“And then when I went North of the Wall to get a wight, I was cornered by the Dead. Daenerys came and she saved my life. And it cost her one of her dragons. I hadn’t bent the knee to her yet, but she still came and saved me.”

Sam was shocked. “She… She saved you?”

“Yes, she did Sam.” Jon answered before continuing. “And I’m not the only one she has spared. Many of those men bent the knee to her the day she executed your father and brother and she spared them, even though they had fought against her. Jorah Mormont had spied on her for Robert Baratheon. But she didn’t kill him. She exiled him. And when he came back and saved her life, she forgave him.”

Sam did not know that either. Was he wrong to judge Daenerys?

But Jon was not finished. “And Tyrion was part of the family that slaughtered hers. Varys helped send assassins to kill her her whole life. But she spared both of them as well, and now they are her advisors. She was well within her rights to execute them, and Ser Jorah, and me, but she did not. She spared us like how I spared the Free Folk.”

“And she’s here. She knows that coming here will delay her goal of reclaiming the Iron Throne, but she came anyways. She’s a good person, Sam. And she will be a great Queen. I’m sorry about your brother, but Daenerys did what anyone else would have done. Your father and brother committed treason and the punishment for treason is death.”

Sam sighed. “To be honest, I was only truly sad about my brother’s death. He was a good man. My father was not. But my brother always blindly followed him. I just wish Daenerys didn’t kill him. He would have been a good lord of Horn Hill.”

Jon stepped towards Sam and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry about your brother Sam. But please understand, Daenerys gave him a choice and he made it.”

“Jon. You were defending Daenerys so fiercely. Do you love her?” asked Sam.

“Yes. I love her Sam. I asked her to marry me.” Jon informed his friend.

“You did?” asked a surprised Sam.

“Aye. And I have never felt happier in my entire life. Sam, if you truly can’t forgive her for your brother’s death then I understand. But please know that she is the best thing to ever happen to me. I’m just a bastard and she accepted my proposal.”

Sam knew Jon always felt inadequate because he always thought he was a bastard. But he was about to know the truth.

“Jon, there’s something you need to know. Something Bran and I found out about you.”

“What is it?” asked Jon.

“At the Citadel, Gilly and I found a High Septon’s diary. And Bran can see the past. We found out the truth about you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Your mother was Lyanna Stark.” Sam revealed.

Jon exhaled sharply. He had always wanted to know who is mother was, but…if she’s his mother then that means…

“And your father…Your real father, was Rhaegar Targaryen. Robert’s Rebellion was built on a lie. Rhaegar didn’t kidnap or rape your mother. They were in love and they were married in secret. And then you were born after Rhaegar fell at the trident. Your father found your mother and he promised to always protect her son, which is you.”

“Jon. Your name, your real name, is Jaehaerys Targaryen. You have never been a bastard.” finished Sam

Jon was in complete shock and disbelief. This couldn’t be true. It couldn’t. If it was, then that means his whole life was a lie. And that would also mean that…

“You’re telling me that my father, the most honorable man I ever met, lied to me my whole life?” Jon asked in disbelief.

“No Jon. Ned Stark promised your mother that he would always protect you. And that that’s what he did. If Robert found out about you, you would have been murdered. He loved Lyanna but she didn’t love him back. You were living proof of that. He would have wanted to kill you.”

Jon just took a step back. His whole life had been a lie. He was always treated like dirt because he was a bastard. Except he never truly was a bastard. He lost his mother and biological father because of a filthy lie. He and Dany were both denied a happy childhood because of it.

_Dany_. If this was really true, then she was his aunt. But it didn’t bother him at all. He still loved Dany so much. Finding out about their shared relation had not diminished those feelings at all.

Jon was angry. Angry that his father never told him. Angry that he allowed him to go to the Wall with murderers and rapists. Angry that Catelyn Stark and many others treated him like filth because of a lie. Angry that because of Robert Baratheon, Jon never got to know his mother. Never had a mother’s love. And probably worst of all, his beloved Daenerys was forced to live in poverty and fear, constantly having to avoid assassins. All because that fucker wanted to kill every Targaryen for a woman who never loved him.

“Jon. Listen to me. You are the true King. Jaehaerys Targaryen, Third of his Name, Protector of the Realm, everything. But Daenerys can still be your Queen. You told me that she agreed to marry you. That doesn’t have to change. I’ve read that even the Starks had married within the family from time to time, your grandfather among them. You can both take the Throne together and finally be the rulers we all need.” Sam reassured Jon.

“And whatever problems I may have with her right now, I don’t want you to lose the happiness you found. You, more than anyone, deserve happiness.”

Jon knew Sam was speaking the truth. He could still marry Daenerys. And he still wants to. But he doesn’t want to worry about any of that right now. Right now, he wants time to himself.

“Sam. Please let me have some time to myself.”

“Okay. If you need anything else, you know I’m here for you.”

With that Sam left the crypts, leaving Jon alone. Jon stared at the statue of his father, who was in truth his uncle. Gods. Even with that knowledge, he can’t think of Ned as anything but a father. Although he’s angry Ned never told him, he is grateful for his protection.

His mother’s statue is here too. Taking a torch, he walked along the crypts until he was standing in front of it.

So, his mother was here the whole time. Ned never talked about her, but Jon heard that she was really beautiful. That she was kind and compassionate. But she also had a wild streak about her.

Jon gently touched the statue. “Mother.” he whispered. “You were here the whole time. I wish I had known. I would have visited you every day. I don’t even know what you look like but I love you so much. I wish I could have known you. But because of that fucker, I lost you and father. And I didn’t get to know Dany until so much later.” Jon could feel the tears in his eyes.

With no one else here, he let his emotions out. He cried hard. His whole life was stolen from him by monsters and by greedy opportunists. His father and mother died. His half-siblings, Aegon and Rhaenys, and their poor mother were brutally murdered. And his sweet, beloved Dany was forced into a terrible life with only her cruel, abusive brother to look after her.

After a few moments of giving in to his emotions, Jon knew that he needed to sleep. He couldn’t make love to Dany tonight, but he needs her. With one last look at his mother’s statue, Jon departed to return to his chambers.

* * *

Jon opened the door to his chambers to find Daenerys already in a beautiful nightgown.

“My love. I almost thought you weren’t coming to me.” Dany said lovingly as she walked over to Jon and leaned in to kiss him.

Jon returned the kiss but when Dany started trying to remove his clothes, he stopped her. “No Dany. Not tonight.”

Dany had a confused and almost hurt look on her face. “Why?”

Jon sighed. “I found something out today.”

Thinking he was talking about the Tarlys, Daenerys immediately began apologizing. “Jon, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that they were the family of your best friend. I thought I was doing the right thing at the time.”

But Jon shushed her. “No, no, no Dany. It’s not that. I’m not upset with you. I would have done the same thing in your position. Don’t worry about Sam. He’s gonna be fine. It’s something else.”

“What is it Jon?” asked Dany.

“I can’t tell you yet.”

“Why not?”

“I promise I will tell you Dany. I promise. I just need some time. And right now, I really need some sleep. Could you please still stay with? I want you to hold me.” Jon begged.

Although she wished to know what was bothering him so, Dany agreed to. She helped Jon get into his nightclothes before the two of them sank into the bed. Dany put her arms around Jon, making sure to hold him as much as possible.

“Dany?”

“Hmm?”

“I want you to know, that I am always going to love you. That will never, ever change. You are the most important person in my life.”

Dany smiled lovingly and stroked Jon’s cheek. “You’ll always have me Jon. I will never love anyone the way I love you. I’m always going to be here for you.” Dany gave Jon a loving kiss on the cheek. She then closed her eyes and went to sleep.

Jon knew that he would be spending some time alone for the next few days, but he will make sure Dany knows that he loves her. With that, he fell asleep.

* * *

When morning came, hundreds of people were still arriving at Winterfell. In the line, two men in black hoods rode in on horses.

The soldiers helped the people arriving to get settled. While they were doing that, one soldier helped the hooded men with their horses. While he did that, the two hooded men took off their hoods.

“So, we finally made it to this fucking cold castle.” said Bronn.

“Yeah, well don’t complain about the weather.” Jaime snarked.

Jaime looked around the castle. The last time he was here was so long ago. When Robert Baratheon came to ask Ned Stark to be his Hand. _‘Things really went crazy after that.’_

Jaime turned around. He could feel someone’s eyes watching him. He turned to see someone sitting in a wheelchair, staring at him with cold eyes.

Jaime squinted and then his eyes went wide with shock, his jaw dropping. For he knew very, very well who that person in the wheelchair is.

It was Brandon Stark who he pushed off that window so long ago. _‘Oh fuck.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And that was Chapter 6! I thought it was going to be shorter than the last 2 chapters, but I had so much I wanted to write. Yes, I made Jon’s true name Jaehaerys Targaryen. Because Rhaegar already had a son named Aegon. That was just more of Dumb&Dumber’s stupid, horrendous writing. Jaehaerys is a much better and much cooler name. Some scenes I kept word for word from the episode, but I did add a few things. Daenerys explaining why she executed Randyll and Dickon Tarly. Sam doesn’t like Daenerys right now but that, Bran’s words, and Jon’s feelings will keep him from being the petty, pathetic loser he was in the fake season. And whatever problems he may have with her, he does want Jon to be happy.  
Big shoutout to my good friend Longclaw 1_6 who helped me with quite a few scenes. I did say this story would not be nice to Sansa. But I did not say I’m gonna give her the D&D treatment that those hacks gave Daenerys. Sansa will be having some sympathetic qualities. One reason she wants to be Queen is because she thinks it’s the only way to be safe and not have another Ramsay experience. But you are not meant to side with her. Her thoughts are not in the right place. You can feel bad for her, but that does not mean she’s right.  
Anyway, thank you my lovely readers! Please leave me some long and detailed reviews of what you think! And I promise, Chapter 7 is going to be more exciting!


	7. Winter is Coming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaime and Bronn are received, conversations are held, friends arrive, and darkness approaches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello my dear readers! The adventure continues! And this time, I'm only going to leave long notes at the end of this chapter. I just want all of you to get started because this chapter is going to be big. So let's get started! Oh and thank you all for the wonderful comments and reviews! They mean a lot to me.

"When I was a child, my brother would tell me a bedtime story…about the man who murdered our father." said Daenerys with a cold tone and a cold face.

Daenerys, Jon, and Sansa were sitting at the head table in the Great Hall, with their advisors either sitting on the side tables or standing. In the center of the Great Hall was Ser Jaime Lannister who had just arrived at Winterfell. Next to him was Bronn.

Jaime knew that his reception at Winterfell would be far from welcome, to say the least. Nearly everyone there looked at him with dislike and distrust. Jaime knew that he had to tread carefully. He stood silently as Daenerys continued her tale.

"Who stabbed him in the back and cut his throat. Who sat down on the Iron Throne and watched as his blood poured onto the floor," the Dragon Queen continued with the icy look on her face. "He told me other stories as well. About all the things we would do to that man…once we took back the Seven Kingdoms and had him in our grasp."

Jaime briefly lowered his eyes. He does not regret killing the Mad King at all. He had no other choice. Still, he could have done more to help Prince Rhaegar's other relatives. He still felt great guilt over that.  
  


"However, my father was a cruel man, and your brother here told me what he was planning to do to the innocents of King's Landing in his madness. Viserys hated you for your actions, as did I, but no longer do I do." That surprised Jaime and others in the room. Here was the Mad King’s daughter denouncing him for the insane tyrannical King he was. The Dragon Queen continues to surprise them. However, if Jaime thought he was out of the woods, her next words killed such a notion. "However, I can see you've arrived alone. Your sister pledged to send her army north, did she not?" asked Daenerys."

"She did," Jaime answered. He hoped that they were not going to take this out on him and Bronn.

"I don't see an army," Daenerys said with a shrug of her hands. "I only see one man with one hand and his friend."

Daenerys feared the worst. That they had been lied to and that all they went through to make that meeting happen was for nothing. Her beloved nearly died for nothing. Her sweet Viserion dying for nothing…"It would appear that your sister has lied to us."

Tyrion was looking nervous as he watched his Queen question his brother. If only Jaime and Bronn were here…

Jaime sighed. He was not looking forward to this. "She lied to me as well," he said. "She never had any intention of sending her army north."

Daenerys turned to look at Tyrion. Tyrion stared back with a very nervous look. Daenerys was looking at him with such fury and coldness that he felt she could burn him with just her gaze. He had been so sure that he had convinced Cersei to help them. Instead, Cersei played him, and he fell into it. He turned away from Daenerys, unable to continue looking at the furious disappointment his Queen had for him.

"She has Euron Greyjoy's fleet and 20,000 fresh troops," Jaime continued. "The Golden Company from Essos, bought and paid for. Even if we defeat the dead, she'll have more than enough to destroy the survivors."

"We?" Daenerys asked incredulously.

"I made a promise to fight for the living. And I intend to keep that promise. And my companion, Ser Bronn, is willing to help." Jaime answered confidently.

Dany eyed Jaime carefully. She did not trust him. He was a Lannister and he tried to kill her during the Battle of Blackwater Rush.

At that moment, Tyrion stepped forward. "Your Grace, I know my brother…"

"Like you knew your sister?" Dany cut Tyrion off coldly.

Tyrion looked down nervously. After his huge mistake with Cersei, he knows that he's the last person she will listen to. He knows he deserves it. He was the one who suggested they get a dead man to convince Cersei to help them and it was all for nothing. Because of his stupid idea, all they got was a cripple and a sellsword. And one of the dragons was killed and is now a soldier for the dead. His Queen has every right to be furious with him. But he had to convince her to allow Jaime to stay.

"He came here alone with only Bronn, knowing full well how he would be received. Why would he do that if he weren't telling the truth?"

"Perhaps he trusts his little brother to defend him, right up to the moment he cuts my throat."

The next person who spoke surprised Daenerys.

"You're right," said Sansa. Daenerys was surprised to see that Sansa actually agreed with her on this. "We can't trust him. He attacked my father in the streets. He tried to destroy my house and my family, the same as he did yours."

"Do you want me to apologize? I won't," insisted Jaime. "We were at war. Everything I did, I did for my house and my family! I'd do it all again."

"The things we do for love." Bran said in a cold voice.

Everyone turned to Bran when he said this but only Jaime knew what it meant. Jaime remembers that those are the same words he said before he pushed the boy out the window. And he clearly remembers it too. Jaime stared at Bran fearfully, who merely watched Jaime with an emotionless face.

"So why have you abandoned your house and family now?" asked Daenerys.

"Because this goes beyond loyalty," answered Jaime. He turned to Brienne. "This is about survival."

Daenerys turned to look at the man next to Jaime. She recognized him. "I know you. You're the one who shot my dragon during the Battle of Blackwater Rush."

Bronn had a nervous expression on his face. He had hoped she would not recognize him as the one who shot that fucking dragon. But she did. "Yeah, sorry about that. It was nothing personal, Your Grace. I'm a sellsword. I fight for whoever pays me and that was this fucking cunt right here."

Dany could admit that this sellsword had a certain charm. But he did try to kill her beloved Drogon. "Why should we trust you? How do we know that you weren't paid by Cersei Lannister to kill us in our sleep?"

"Funny you should mention that," Bronn stated." She sent that creepy Hand of hers to bribe me to find and kill her brothers. But to tell you the truth, Your Grace, I don't trust that crazy bitch." At this quite a few people chuckled, amused by Bronn's profanity and his insults of the Mad Queen. "She's more likely to kill me than to pay me. So, I came here with this golden bastard. I would rather take my chances here. And I hope that if we live through this, you might be willing to reward me."

Dany was still suspicious of this man, but he did come here. "Very well. Ser Bronn, I will allow you to fight alongside us in the Great War. If you survive, I will reward you with gold and land."

"Thank you, Your Grace." said Bronn.

"But if you betray us or hurt anyone here, I will have my dragon burn you alive."

"I will do my best not to get on your bad side, Queenie."

Daenerys nodded and then turned back to Jaime. "I still am not sure about you Ser Jaime."

At this Brienne of Tarth stood up. Daenerys turned to her.

"You don't know me well, Your Grace," said Brienne. "But I know Ser Jaime. He is a man of honor. I was his captor once. But when we were both taken prisoner and the men holding us tried to force themselves on me," Brienne continued passionately defending Jaime, "Ser Jaime defended me. And lost his hand because of it."

Brienne then turned to Sansa.

"Without him, my lady, you would not be alive," said Brienne. "He armed me, armored me, and sent me to find you and bring you home because he'd sworn an oath to your mother."

Sansa considered this for a moment before asking "You vouch for him?"

"I do." Brienne answered proudly.

"You would fight beside him?" asked Sansa.

"I would." answered Brienne.

Jaime gave Brienne a grateful look.

"I trust you with my life," said Sansa. "If you trust him with yours, we should let him stay."

Daenerys looked at Sansa carefully. Meanwhile Brienne returned to her seat.

"What does the Warden of the North say about it?" Dany asked Jon.

Jon thought for a moment. He remembered once how Jaime Lannister mocked him when he joined the Night's Watch. He didn't truly trust him. But now is not the time for petty grievances. And he knows Brienne is an honest woman. If what she said is true, then perhaps he is trustworthy. Plus Jaime and his friend did still come North to fight against the dead.

"I know Brienne of Tarth is an honest woman," Jon began. "If she what she said is true, then Ser Jaime is trustworthy. And we need every man we can get."

Jon then turned to Jaime and gave him a threatening stare. "But I promise you this Lannister. If this is a trick or if you threaten Queen Daenerys in anyway, I will have my direwolf tear you to pieces."

Jaime was surprised. He remembered when Jon Snow was just a green boy. But he no longer is. And there was a fire in his grey eyes. He had seen that kind of fire before. Not in Aerys, but in Rhaegar.

"Understood, Lord Snow." Jaime reassured calmly.

Daenerys looked at Jon. He nodded to her. She nodded back.

"Very well."

Tyrion released a breath of relief. At least his brother and friend would get to live.

Daenerys then turned to Grey Worm, her eyes giving him a command to return Jaime and Bronn's weapons to them.

Grey Worm grabbed the Valyrian Steel sword, the one Joffrey had called Widow's Wail, and Bronn's sword and walked over to the two men.

His Queen may be allowing them to stay, but he does not trust them. He makes that perfectly clear in his glare, and in the way he roughly hands the two men their weapons back. Once he gave them their weapons back, Grey Worm returned to his original spot.

Jaime was thankful that at least he would be able to keep his promise to fight for the living. "Thank you, Your Grace." he said before bowing his head respectfully.

Daenerys said nothing and then stood up. And so did everyone else in the Hall.

As everyone departed, Daenerys turned to Jon. Jon gave her a warm smile and a nod before walking away.

Daenerys wanted to know what was bothering her beloved so. She didn't like how distant he was now. At least she knows that he still loves her completely. He proved that when he threatened Jaime to protect her. She had to admit, she found it extremely attractive, the way he threatened Jaime if he harms her.

Daenerys then turned to Tyrion.

"Lord Tyrion," she said in a cold tone and with a cold look. "I want to speak to you in my chambers, alone." Daenerys then departed to her chambers.

Tyrion gulped. He knew that he was really going to get it. He shared a nervous look with his brother before following his Queen to her chambers.

Jaime watched as his little brother left the room before he shared a look with Brienne. As he watched her leave, he noticed Bran staring at him with an emotionless face. Jaime swore that he would apologize to the boy, even though he knows he does not deserve forgiveness.

* * *

"You swore that you had managed to convince Cersei to send her army north!" Daenerys shouted at Tyrion. "You either knew she was lying and let me believe otherwise, or you didn't know at all. Which makes you either a traitor or a fool."

They were in Dany's chambers and Dany was making her opinions on Tyrion's latest blunder known quite clearly.

"I was a fool." said Tyrion weakly. There was nothing he could say to make it better.

"I named you my Hand because you told me that you were intelligent and that you knew your family. You swore to me that you would be able to help me get the Throne and you have not helped me to get it at all. You have been such a massive disappointment, Tyrion."

Tyrion lowered his head. "Please forgive me, my Queen. Give me another chance. I won't fail you again." begged Tyrion.

Daenerys sighed. "No, you have failed me too many times. I'm sorry, Tyrion. But I have no choice but to remove you from your position as Hand."

Tyrion was shocked and horrified. He knew Daenerys would be furious with him, but surely not furious enough to fire him.

"Your Grace. Please. I made a mistake. It won't happen again, I promise you."

"You don't get it, do you Tyrion?" asked Daenerys. "Ever since you came into my service, you have done nothing but make mistake after mistake. You have failed me continuously. And you have given me advice that has been nothing but detrimental. I cannot have someone like that as my Hand."

"Daenerys, please. Give me another chance. I swear I will make it up to you." Tyrion begged. Getting that pin was the honor of his life. He doesn't want to lose it.

"I named you Hand even though you failed to hold Mereen for me. You made a foolish pact with the masters that backfired on us terribly. But I gave you another chance, as my Hand." Daenerys could not hide the disappointment in her voice. "I listened to you every time after we came to Westeros. Instead of attacking King's Landing, I agreed to your strategy. As a result, I lost all of my Westerosi allies. Then we agreed to your stupid idea to get a dead man and show it to your sister so she would help us. And you let us to believe that you had convinced her to send her army north."

Daenerys hoped that Tyrion understood just how horrendous his mistake was after she finishes.

"Instead, she played you for a fool. She lied to us. Which means everything we suffered to make that meeting happen was for nothing. Because of your foolishness, Jon and Jorah almost died for nothing. And I remember you telling me not to go and save them. That I should do nothing. Thank the Gods, I didn't listen to you then."

Tyrion lowered his eyes in shame. He remembers how he tried to dissuade Daenerys from saving Jon Snow and the others.

"But worst of all, because of your stupid idea, I lost one of my dragons. I lost one of my beloved children. And now the Night King has him. And he brought down the Wall with Viserion. Your mistakes have cost me too much Tyrion, and they have allowed our enemies to strengthen their positions. I'm sorry, but I cannot have you as my Hand anymore," Daenerys said as she held out her hand. "Give me the pin."

Tyrion was heartbroken. And the worst thing is, everything Daenerys said was true. Not once had he managed to help Daenerys. He failed to hold Mereen, his strategy cost her all the allies she had made in Westeros, and his stupid idea to get his sister to help them cost her one of her dragons and it was all for nothing. He truly was a fool and a failure.

Reluctantly and with sadness, Tyrion took off the pin. Daenerys had this made especially for him. But he proved that he was not worthy of this honor. He placed the pin in his Queen's hand.

"Will that be all, Your Grace?" Tyrion asked in a heartbroken whisper.

"Yes. You are dismissed, Lord Tyrion." Daenerys ordered.

Tyrion nodded and began walking out of the room.

"Tyrion."

Tyrion stopped and turned his head to Daenerys.

"I cannot have you as my Hand anymore. But I will continue protecting you, and you can still give me advice. You just won't be my top advisor anymore."

Tyrion sighed. "Thank you, Your Grace." he said gratefully. At least there was that.

"One more thing. If we survive the war and you and your brother prove yourselves, I will allow both of you to go home to Casterly Rock. You can rule the Westerlands together if you wish."

"Truly?" asked Tyrion, amazed at the offer she was making.

"Yes, if you both live and you prove yourselves, then the Westerlands will be yours." Daenerys said.

"Thank you, Your Grace," Tyrion thanked his Queen. "I'll go speak to my brother about this."

With one final nod, Tyrion stepped out of the room.

Daenerys sighed. She liked Tyrion. She was happy to have named him her Hand. But he has failed her too many times and cost her too much. She can't have him as Hand anymore. Once the war with the dead was over, she knew she will have to find a new Hand. Hopefully, one that can help her win the Iron Throne.

* * *

Down in the forges, Gendry and the other smiths were continuing their work. Gendry grabbed his hammer to work on molten steel. He was so focused on his work that he did not notice Arya Stark staring at him longingly.

But as Gendry was heating up his hammer, he looked up and noticed Arya watching him.

"Don't you have something better to do?" asked an annoyed Gendry.

Arya just smirked and asked, "You make my weapon yet?"

"Just as soon as I'm done making a few thousand of these," Gendry answered as he held the dragonglass weapons.

"You should make mine first," said Arya as she looked at the dragonglass axe. "And make sure it's stronger than this."

Gendry grabbed the axe from Arya and thrust it down hard, the blade buried inside.

"It's strong enough," said Gendry. "It's going to be safer inside the Great Hall, you know."

"Are you going to be inside the Great Hall?" asked Arya sarcastically.

"No, but—" Gendry began.

"But you're a fighter," interrupted Arya. Gendry turned to Arya.

"I've done my share."

"You've fought them?" asked Arya.

"I did. Some of them," answered Gendry.

"How many?"

"A few," Gendry answered as he remembered the expedition North of the Wall. Where he first fought the dead. "That was enough."

"What are they like?" asked Arya curiously.

"Bad," was Gendry's answer. "Really bad."

"Really bad?" repeated Arya in a mocking tone. Arya walked around the table to be right across from Gendry. "Even a smith's apprentice can do better than 'really bad'."

"What do they look like? What do them smell like? How do they move? How hard are they to kill?" Arya asked.

"Look, I know you want to fight," began Gendry. "And I know you're not scared of rapers or murderers or… This is different. This is… This is death."

Gendry did not know how else to put it. "You want to know what they're like? Death. That's what they are like." he finished explaining.

Arya could see and hear the fear in Gendry's face and his voice. Whatever these things were, they were nothing like what she has faced before. However, she has cheated death so many times. She will just have to do it again.

Picking up one of the dragonglass blades, Arya decided to tell Gendry that she wasn't afraid.

"I know Death," she said before throwing the blade to the wall with great accuracy, surprising Gendry. "He's got many faces," she threw another blade. "I look forward to seeing this one." Arya finished as she threw one more blade towards the wall.

Gendry chuckled, amazed at Arya's skill.

"My weapon?" asked Arya.

"I'll get right on it." promised Gendry.

With that Arya departed. Gendry wouldn't say it, but Arya is stirring up some feelings inside him.

* * *

In the Godswood, Bran sat in his wheelchair before the Heart Tree. He didn't have to look to know that Jaime Lannister was watching him.

Jaime did not expect Bran to forgive him. He knows he doesn't deserve it. He nearly killed him and crippled him for life. But he wanted to let Bran know that he absolutely regrets what he did. He has so many regrets.

Walking up to Bran, Jaime began his apology. "I'm sorry for what I did to you."

Bran turned to Jaime. He knows that Jaime is repentant now, but he wasn't when he pushed him out that window. "You weren't sorry then," Bran pointed out. To soften the blow, Bran reminded Jaime of why he did that. "You were protecting your family."

Jaime nodded. "I'm not that person anymore."

"You still would be, if you hadn't pushed me out of that window," said Bran. "And I would still be Brandon Stark."

"You're not?" asked Jaime confusedly.

"Not exactly. It's complicated. I still am Bran. I have my memories and my emotions, but I am so much more now."

"You're not angry at me." Jaime noticed.

"No. I'm not. I don't really care about that." replied Bran.

"Why didn't you tell them?" asked Jaime. He wanted to know why Bran didn't use the opportunity to get justice.

Bran smiled. "If I told them, they would have killed you. And you won't be able to help us in this fight if you're dead."

Jaime nodded. He was thankful. Bran deserved to have justice, but he chose to allow him to fight with them. _'A chance for me to maybe find some redemption.'_ But…

"What about afterwards?" asked Jaime.

Bran just stared. "How do you know there is an afterwards?"

Jaime stared back. It was true. There was no absolute certainty that they would survive this war. But Jaime was resolved to make sure that there was an afterwards, even if it meant that he would die for what he did.

"Don't worry. If we do survive, I won't tell them what you did." Bran said.

Jaime was surprised that Bran knew exactly what he was thinking.

"How did you…?"

"I told you, I am so much more now. I am not just Brandon Stark anymore. I'm the Three-Eyed Raven."

"Three-Eyed Raven?" asked Jaime in a confused tone.

"I have visions. I can see the past, what's happening now far away, even a few glimpses of the future. And I know what people are thinking."

"Forgive me. That sounds like a bit much. Being able to see the past."

But Bran's next words would shake Jaime to his very core.

"Burn them all. Burn them in their homes. Burn them in their beds," said Bran. "The Mad King said that before you killed him. He had also ordered you to kill your father."

Jaime was shocked. Bran couldn't possibly know that. He wasn't born at the time. It could be that Bran could see the past, but…

"I told Brienne. Perhaps you learned from her or from Tyrion."

Bran smirked. "No, I saw it. I saw as you put your sword through the Mad King's back. How you slit his throat. And how my father found you sitting on the Iron Throne," he said. "But I know so much more. The last thing your daughter told you before she died in your arms was that she was glad you are her father."

Jaime stared at Bran with an open mouth and wide eyes. No one else knew what Myrcella's last words were. No one but him. But if Bran knew that…

"I am sorry. Your daughter was a kind and innocent girl. She didn't deserve what happened to her." Bran offered to Jaime.

Jaime had tears in his eyes as he looked down. Myrcella's death was still painful for him. One of his children knew that he was their father and told him that she was happy about that. But then she died.

"Thank you, Brandon," said Jaime as he held the tears back and turned back to Bran. "I suppose you're telling the truth."

"Thank you."

Jaime nodded and began leaving the Godswood.

"Ser Jaime."

Jaime stopped and turned back to Bran.

"You have a second chance. To atone for your past mistakes and crimes. To have a better life," Bran advised. "Don't squander it. Do not destroy the man that you are becoming."

"What do you mean?" asked Jaime.

"Your sister," answered Bran. "There might be a time when you are tempted to return to her. You have finally escaped from her. And you can achieve a better life. Don't waste the opportunity. Don't lose your chance to have a better life with her.

"With whom?" asked Jaime.

"You know who I mean."

Jaime instantly understood who Bran was talking about. Brienne. But did he deserve a chance with Brienne?

"Brienne is a good woman," said Jaime. "She deserves a good man."

"If you don't waste your chance, you will be that man," Bran hoped Jaime listened to him. "Go. Don't waste your chance, Jaime Lannister."

With that Bran turned back to face the weirwood, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Night King's location. His eyes turned white as he entered into his visions.

Jaime stared at Bran for a few moments. Then with newfound determination, he left the Godswood.

* * *

"So tell me Lord Crakehall. Why did you help in my brother's treason by helping escape to help the traitors in the North?" asked Cersei Lannister.

She was holding court in the Throne Room. Sitting on the Iron Throne with Qyburn to her left and the Mountain to her right. Many Lannister soldiers were in the room, as well as many of the nobles in the Crownlands and a few from the Westerlands.

"Your Grace, I have done nothing wrong," insisted Lord Roland Crakehall who was standing in the center . "I am loyal to the House of Lannister."

"Evidence suggests otherwise," said Qyburn. "You immediately agreed to Ser Jaime's treasonous attempt to send our Queen's armies north to aid the Usurper and the traitor Bastard of Winterfell."

"With all due respect Your Grace, you had sworn to send our forces North," said Crakehall defiantly. "We had all seen that dead thing and you had sworn that we would go North to destroy this threat. You have broken your word."

"Then you freely admit your treason then, Lord Crakehall," said a furious Cersei. "You helped my traitor brother escape north because you want to fight for the Dragon Whore. You are a cowardly traitor. And you will be punished accordingly."

Cersei nodded to her Queensguard. Two of them walked to Lord Crakehall and restrained him.

Ser Gregor put his hand on his sword and looked to his Queen, silently asking if she wanted him to do the deed. But Cersei shook her head.

"No, Ser Gregor. A beheading is too kind for a filthy traitor like Lord Crakehall. I have something so much better for him."

Cersei stood and spoke in a loud voice, "Lord Roland Crakehall, for your treason against the Crown, I Cersei of House Lannister, First of my name, Rightful Queen of the Andals, Rhoynar, and First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm, sentence you to death," smirked Cersei as she sentenced Crakehall . "Being the generous and benevolent Queen that I am, I will allow you to speak a final word, traitor."

"All I have to say is this," began the doomed lord. "I did not help Ser Jaime escape. But I would have gladly done so. Ser Jaime is a man of honor, someone that I would be proud to serve. You are no true Queen. You are just a cruel and insane tyrant. Should Ser Jaime and the Dragon Queen survive, I pray to all gods that they bring you to justice."

Cersei smirked. "I will enjoy watching you die, filthy traitor." Cersei then turned to Qyburn. "Do you have it ready?"

"Oh yes, Your Grace. I have it right here." Qyburn pulled out a water sack. Except water was not what is in there.

"Lord Crakehall," began Cersei, "Seeing as how you would rather serve mad Targaryens, you will die like one of them. The same way that Aerion Targaryen died."

The nobles stared in shock and horror. Cersei was going to make Lord Crakehall drink wildfire. A brutal and agonizing way of dying.

"NO! NO! I won't let you do this to my father!" shouted Ser Tybolt, Crakehall's eldest son and heir, as he ran towards his father.

But he was intercepted by two Lannister men. They restrained and held Ser Tybolt down, who struggled and fought to break free.

"Ser Tybolt," began Cersei, "trying to prevent an execution is treason. Therefore, you can watch your father die before you join him."

She then nodded to Ser Gregor who walked to Ser Tybolt and grabbed him by the neck. He then made sure to keep one of his arms around the young man's neck to make sure he watches.

"Qyburn. Do it." Cersei ordered.

"As you command, Your Grace."

Qyburn started walking towards Lord Crakehall, all while Ser Tybolt struggled futilely against the Mountain's inhumane strength, and as many of the other nobles watched in dread.

Roland's mouth was forced open by the two Queensguards restraining him. Qyburn walked and with a smirk, he poured the wildfire into Lord Crakehall's throat.

Cersei let out a sadistic smile as she watched Lord Crakehall scream and gasp in pain. The man was clutching his throat as his face turned green. The two guards restraining him let him go and Lord Crakehall was withering on the floor in pain.

After a few moments of painful gasps and groans, Lord Crakehall stopped moving and all sign of life disappeared from his body.

"Father!" shouted Ser Tybolt. His grief then turned to pure rage and hatred as he shouted to Cersei, "You evil, monstrous bitch! You are a monster! I hope Queen Daenerys burns you alive!" he screamed before spitting at Cersei.

Cersei just smirked. "You just made a mistake, Ser Tybolt. I was considering showing you mercy, but you have chosen death," turning to the Mountain, "Ser Gregor, kill him. Make sure he suffers."

The Mountain grabbed Ser Tybolt by the neck and lifted him into the air. He then punched him so hard that his jaw broke. He then threw Ser Tybolt onto the floor and crushed one of his arms with his black armored boot. Ser Tybolt screamed in agony.

Clegane then got down and punched Tybolt in the face three times. Tybolt's nose was broken, blood coming from his mouth and nose, and one of his eyes closed.

The Mountain stood back up and unsheathed his sword. He plunged the sword into the man's stomach before he moved the sword upwards, essentially slicing his upper body in half.

The people watched in fear. Many were crying and holding on to others. This was the kind of person ruling over them. With just one word, they could be killed next.

Cersei let out a grin at seeing the filthy traitor's mangled body. _'You are an absolute blessing, Ser Gregor.'_

"Oh, my beloved subjects," Cersei began with a faux-sweet voice, "I am sorry you all had to witness this. I know it's hard for many of you. But as long as you stay loyal to me, none of you ever need to worry." Cersei stood from the Iron Throne. "Let this be a lesson and a reminder for everyone. This is the fate of all traitors," she said as she walked down the steps slowly, "Anyone saying anything positive about the Dragon Whore or my traitor brothers will suffer a most painful death like these traitorous scum," she continued as she made it all the way down the steps, "But for those who are loyal to me, you will live a peaceful and prosperous life."

"Now, I want all of you to go tell your children and your people that I have delivered justice to two traitors," Cersei addressed the room, "That anyone supporting the Usurper will be dealt with accordingly. I will need the help of all my loyal subjects to defend our beloved city. Court dismissed.

As the people began leaving, some quicker than others, Cersei headed back up the steps and headed to her chambers, the Mountain and Qyburn following closely. She decided to celebrate her latest accomplishment with some wine. And she had to admit, after watching those filthy traitors suffer, she needed a good fuck. She ordered Qyburn to bring Euron to her chambers. When he left, Cersei began sipping her wine with a smirk.

But little did she know that she has dealt quite a huge blow to her own reputation. The Mad Queen has gone down the dark path on which there was no return.

* * *

Back at Winterfell, many people were doing different tasks. Soldiers were making sure weapons were delivered. Others like Ser Davos were serving food for the commoners. Some were just doing labor. The people of the North at first were very wary of the foreigners. But now, many of them were talking, working, drinking, and eating with Dothraki and Unsullied. Some Free Folk children were even playing with the Dothraki children.

Tyrion walked by all these people. Eventually he saw his brother. They shared a look before walking towards each other.

"Well, here we are," said Tyrion.

"Yes, here we are," replied Jaime.

"Together again."

Tyrion and Jaime heard someone clearing their throat and turned to see three men on the battlements glaring at them. One of them spat in disgust.

"And the masses rejoice," Tyrion said humorously.

Jaime smirked at Tyrion before the two of them started walking together.

"How do they feel about their new Queen?" asked Jaime.

"She's your new Queen too."

Jaime turned back at Tyrion but said nothing.

"They were very hesitant at first," said Tyrion, "They remember what happened the last time Targaryens brought dragons north. But they are slowly coming around. She saved Jon Snow's life and she has come to help against the dead."

Jaime noticed that Tyrion was no longer wearing his Hand pin.

"What happened to your pin?" he asked.

Tyrion sighed. "I've been dismissed from my position as Hand of the Queen."

Jaime was surprised to hear that. "She dismissed you?"

"Yes," answered Tyrion. "Apparently I failed her too many times. And it was my idea to try to get Cersei to help us, but Jon Snow planned on going north of the Wall personally, not me." He tried to defend himself, less out of bitterness and more to find some way to absolve his guilty conscience. "But she ended up losing one of her dragons, who is now one of those undead monsters, and now here you are saying it was all for nothing because Cersei played me for a fool."

Jaime raised an eyebrow. "And how did she do that?" At a confused look from his little brother, Jaime shrugged. "She didn't tell me about it. I wasn't her favorite person at the time." Cersei had been bitter and full of rage for years, but her actually threatening the monster that Gregor Clegane became decapitate him… it was then that he knew she was truly lost.

"Alright," Tyrion recounted to his brother. "She told me the pregnancy had changed her. A chance for you both to start again. And I believed her."

There was a short silence before Jaime chuckled. "You bought that? You knew that Cersei hated you, that she lied to try to get you executed, and you still bought that?" he asked incredulously. Jaime shook his head. "Gods, I can't believe I'm saying this little brother, but I think Daenerys made the right choice, dismissing you as Hand."

Tyrion looked at Jaime in surprise. "Why would you say that?" he asked in a hurt tone.

"Because, you have done a terrible job," Jaime started. "Buying that bitch was just the worst of it. You let Cersei fool you, and your strategies to help Daenerys win the war were terrible. Attacking Casterly Rock? Sending the Greyjoys and Dornish out to sea without considering Euron Greyjoy's fleet? I mean, you're supposed to be the smartest Lannister, but I outsmarted you with my strategies. Me!" It was simply hilarious in a fucked up sort of way. "And Cersei said I was the stupidest Lannister."

Tyrion sighed. He knew Jaime was telling the truth. His strategies were a disaster and they cost Daenerys her allies. And then his idea cost her one of her dragons, and he was played for a fool.

"I suppose we've all been fighting each other to take the crown of stupidest Lannister." Tyrion mused.

"Well, don't crown yourself yet. Cersei's fooled me more than anybody."

Tyrion started walking up the stairs before he turned to Jaime.

"What?" asked Jaime, as Tyrion stared at him.

"She never fooled you," said Tyrion. "You always knew exactly what she was, and you loved her anyway."

Tyrion walked up the stairs as Jaime considered his words. Tyrion was mostly right. Jaime always knew that Cersei was a hateful woman and he still loved her and fought for her. But he never thought that she was hateful enough that she would rather let the dead destroy everything. And he never thought she would actually threaten to kill him.

Jaime followed his brother up towards the battlements.

"So…we're going to die at Winterfell," said Tyrion cynically. "Not the death I would've chosen. I always pictured myself dying in my own bed, the age of 80, with a belly full of wine and a girl's mouth around my cock."

"A girl's mouth around your cock," Jaime said the same time as Tyrion.

The two brothers shared a smile.

"At least Cersei won't get to murder me," said Tyrion. "I'm sure I'll feel some satisfaction denying her that pleasure while I'm being ripped apart by dead men."

Tyrion did not notice that Jaime was not paying attention to him but was walking towards the walls.

"Maybe after I'm dead…I'll march down to King's Landing and rip her apart," mused Tyrion with a smirk. Which dropped when he noticed his brother was not right next to him. He noticed Jaime looking over the walls of Winterfell and walked next to him to see what had caught his interest.

It was Brienne of Tarth. She was keeping watch as Podrick Payne was teaching others how to fight and as Grey Worm and the Unsullied were building the trenches.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the golden cunt brothers."

Jaime and Tyrion turned to see their friend, Ser Bronn of the Blackwater. He was wearing black leather and fur, similar to what Jaime and Tyrion were wearing.

Tyrion smiled. "If it isn't the cunt sellsword," he replied playfully.

Bronn smirked at Tyrion and went over to shake his hand.

"It's good to see you, Bronn."

"It's good to see you too, you little shit."

"I'm surprised you came here to save the world."

"Oh no. I ain't doing this because I'm nice," said Bronn. "I didn't want to stay with your crazy bitch sister. She wanted me to kill you and your brother. And I don't want to do that. So I came with this golden bastard up here to this cold pile of shit."

"If I didn't know any better, Bronn, I'd say you actually care about us."

"Well, don't go that far, you little fucker. I still expect a nice castle after this."

"Well, if we survive, Queen Daenerys will be happy to reward you with one."

Bronn smiled. "That's good." Bronn then turned and noticed Jaime looking out to the distance. "What are you looking at, Lannister?"

Bronn turned and found what Jaime was staring at. It was the blonde tall woman. Bronn smirked.

"Well, don't waste your time staring at her, you golden twat," mocked Bronn. "Go over there and fuck her. Might as well in case either of you dies." Bronn then turned to Tyrion. "Want to share some drinks and stories with me?"

Tyrion smiled. "I'll take you up on that offer."

Tyrion nodded to his brother before following Bronn to go share some wine.

* * *

Outside the walls of Winterfell, Brienne observed as Podrick trained some other men, as the Unsullied built trenches, and as others were getting ready for the battle to come.

Podrick had become a very fine swordsman. He was able to disarm his opponent who was rushing. Podrick made sure to correct him on that. "Don't rush."

Brienne gave a proud smile. Podrick has really grown from that shy squire she met. She then noticed that Jaime Lannister was standing next to her. "Ser Jaime."

"Lady Brienne."

Jaime watched with Brienne as Podrick sparred with some other soldiers. Jaime was impressed by how good Podrick had become. He remembered a clumsy and shy boy that was his brother's squire before he sent him to squire for Brienne.

"He's come a long way," pointed Jaime with an impressed tone.

"He's all right."

"One more time," said Podrick as he was training the other soldiers. "Come on."

"He still has a lot to learn," said Brienne as she walked away.

"I'm sure you'll teach him," said Jaime as he followed Brienne, while Podrick said to the others, "Better, better."

"I've been told you're commanding the left flank." Jaime said.

"I am," Brienne answered. "It's, uh… It's good ground, it will be difficult for the dead to pass the trenches."

"Hopefully."

"The rise, it should give us some advantage. If we can keep a tight formation, we should be able to beat them back, or at the very least, put a serious dent in their numbers." Brienne continued.

Jaime was very impressed. He knew that Jon Snow was the one in charge of the strategy and he has come up with an impressive one.

"Yes, I think you're right. I was wrong about Jon Snow. He's no dolt, he has a natural affinity for strategy, even better than his brother."

"What are you doing?" Brienne turned to Jaime, annoyed.

"What?" asked Jaime confused.

"I think you know," Brienne replied, just as annoyed as before.

"I truly don't," Jaime replied with an arched brow and a confused tone.

"We have never had a conversation last this long without you insulting me, not once." Brienne explained with a fire in her voice.

Jaime was surprised. "You want me to insult you?"

"No!"

"Good!"

Jaime then took a moment, trying to figure out how to continue this…conversation.

"I came to Winterfell because…" he began. "I'm not the fighter I used to be. But I'd be honored to serve under your command if you'll have me."

And he meant that. Brienne saw something in him that no one else did. She did not see him as a monster. She saw him as a man of honor, which was something no one had ever called him. Brienne helped to change him into a better person. So he would be honored to fight by her side.

Brienne was surprised to hear Jaime speak in a humble voice. Even though he had changed, he still had an arrogant tone. But not this time. This time, he spoke with complete humility and with absolute respect. She would not admit it, but she… liked that. Ser Jaime was truly a changed man. One she would be proud to fight alongside him.

"It would be my honor, Ser Jaime." Brienne said with a warm tone and a small smile.

Jaime smiled back, happy that she would have him.

"I'd better get back."

Brienne nodded to Jaime before getting back to her tasks. Jaime watched her leave with a warm smile and some fluttering feelings in his stomach.

* * *

A twinge of pain spread through Dany's left shoulder.

"Dead again," said a smug Arya, pulling back her sparring sword.

She and Daenerys were in the courtyard, several curious glances sent their way – some laughingat the struggling Dragon Queen but most just intrigued. Arya was finally beginning to teach Daenerys how to use a sword, making sure she had a training blade that was easy for her to use until her muscles toned up. It was like the dragonglass sword she got for her, but she would wait until Daenerys was better before giving it to her.

Daenerys – was a quick learner. She had quickly figured the stances and basic moves, able to hold Arya off in a fashion. But it was still an uneven fight as Arya bested her every time so far.

"I don't think you are fighting fair, Arya," huffed Daenerys with an annoyed tone as she rubbed her shoulder, breathing hard to catch her breath.

"Battle is never fair, my friend. I would think you would know that." The wild wolf of Winterfell didn't want to be biting, but Daenerys would have to learn these things. If not, Jon would lose his love, and Arya wouldn't have that on her conscience. "There is only one rule. Win. Be it on a dragon or with a blade." She formed a stance. "Now come on, come at me again."

Daenerys nodded and raised her sparring sword. Taking the initiative, the Dragon Queen swung at Arya, who managed to block effortlessly. Arya then took a right swing at Dany, blunted steel clashing in a successful parry.

"Good." Daenerys preened at the praise. "Pay attention to your surroundings. Be prepared for anything." Another strike, Arya spinning to counter. "I could attack you at any turn. Anticipate." Now it was her turn to attack.

Arya made sure to swing at Dany multiple times and surprisingly, Jon's girl had good reflexes. She defended herself better than a lot of the male fighters Arya encountered. Her confidence built… that was a good thing.

"Left." Strike. Parry. "Right."

Dany managed to block. Then…

"Left." Dany had anticipated a left swing, but instead Arya did a right cross and knocked the sword out of Dany's hand.

The Stark grinned. "Dead again."

Scowling, Dany's violet eyes filled with fury. "You said left, but you swung right."

"I did. And now you are a dead woman."

"Well, you tricked me!" shouted Dany.

Arya chuckled before she picked up Dany's sword. Lessons from what seemed like a lifetime ago filling her mind. "My tongue lied. But my eyes were telling the truth. You were not seeing."Arya then handed Dany her sword. "Don't watch me. Watching is not seeing. With the true seeing, you will know the heart of swordplay. Now come at me again. Remember, don't watch my movement. Trust what your eyes see."

Somewhere in the afterlife, Arya hoped Syrio Forel was smiling at how his lessons were being passed on. Dead but never forgotten.

Dany nodded and then she swung at Arya. Blades meeting powerfully, almost a graceful dance. But only this time when Arya said, "Left!", but intended to lunge right, Dany was able to anticipate and blocked.

"Good Daenerys!" she beamed. "You're a natural! Come, at me again!"

Dany let out a smile and continued her training session with her new friend. Perhaps once she was better, maybe Jon could spar with her.

* * *

Standing on a hill overlooking the vast, snowy lands of the North, was the Night King himself. The Lord of Death's icy blue eyes scanned the landscape before him. Soon, they would reach Winterfell. The Night King smirked.

A hoarse roar came behind the demonic king. It was his favorite of his army. The dragon once known as Viserion. Viserion's golden scales had faded into an icy blue color, his eyes matching the blue of the dead, and the icy scales around his head resembled a crown similar to the horns on the Night King.

The ice dragon was impatient. He wanted to kill. He craves it.

The Night King simply smirked before he stroked Viserion's head. _'Patience my pet. Soon, you will have your opportunity.' _The undead dragon calmed at his master's words.

With his pet following him, the Night King returned to the area where the rest of his massive army was waiting.

The Army of the Dead was massive in numbers. They stretched far over the horizon, even farther than Mance Rayder's great Wildling army. Their numbers were far greater than what the living suspected. Not over 100,000. Over 500,000. Not only men, but beasts as well. Hundreds of wolves and sabretooths. Dozens of direwolves and bears. Multiple giants and mammoths. Hundreds, if not thousands, of flying beasts including one undead dragon. The dreaded giant ice spiders from legend. Shadowcats. Every dreaded beast from legends were now serving the Night King.

A direct assault would be suicide. The Night King knew that his enemies knew this as well. But they had no idea what he, his White Walkers, and his thousands of dead soldiers were fully capable of. But after this battle, when his plan is executed, they will.

The dead people and beasts all parted for their master as he walked to the center. All slaves to his will. Their only desire is to serve their master and to kill anything that breathes.

When the Night King reached the center, his Walker lieutenants that were there all kneeled before their king. _'Great One.'_

'_Rise my children. It is almost time. Soon, we will reach Winterfell. You must all be ready to play your parts. Even if it means your destruction.'_

'_We are yours to command, Great One' the Walkers' loyalty to the Great One was absolute. They would follow his commands, no matter what they were._

The Night King smirked. _'Good.'_

The Night King began returning to his dragon while the Walkers all moved to command their soldiers.

The undead dragon lowered his head, allowing his master to stroke him. The Night King smirked as his thoughts turned to his enemy, Jon Snow. _'Defeating me will not be as easy as you hope Jon Snow. And after this battle, you and her will know.'_

* * *

Daenerys stood by the fires of her chambers. She was happy. She was learning how to use a sword, and her people were bonding with the Northerners. She was slowly being accepted as Queen by the Northerners. But she misses Jon. He has been keeping his distance. She hoped he would tell her soon, what it was that was bothering him.

She felt something nudge her hand. It was Ghost. She smiled as she stroked the wolf's soft white fur. _'At least I have part of Jon with me right here.'_

Suddenly Ghost moved away from her hands. Dany watched as Ghost moved in front of her stomach. The wolf sniffed at Dany's stomach before gently nudging her. Dany continued stroking Ghost's fur while the wolf continued nudging her stomach.

Daenerys heard the door open and Ghost moved to sit in the corner.

"Forgive me, khaleesi," said Jorah Mormont respectfully.

Daenerys turned to her beloved bear. "Have you done something to offend me?"

"Many things."

"Long ago and long forgiven." Daenerys hoped Jorah understood that she has completely forgiven him for what he did.

Jorah smiled. "But you did forgive, despite my failures." Jorah looked down before continuing. "When I heard you'd named Tyrion your Hand, it broke my heart."

"When I named him Hand, I didn't know if I'd ever see you again." Had she known for certain that Jorah would return, she most likely would have named him Hand.

"You made the right choice."

That surprised and confused Daenerys. "I wasn't under the impression that you liked him very much."

"I didn't," said Jorah. "His mouth hardly stopped moving between Volantis and Mereen. It was all I could do not to throw him into the sea." Jorah chuckled and Dany gave an amused smirk.

"But the mind behind all those words…"

Dany's smile fell and turned into a scowl. "He's made too many mistakes. Serious mistakes," she said as she walked away from Jorah.

"As have we all," Jorah said.

Dany turned back to Jorah. "Jorah, it's nice to see you wanting me to forgive the man who stole the position that you wanted. But I will not change my decision. I cannot have Tyrion as my Hand any longer."

"But Khaleesi, I've failed you as well."

"But you owned your mistakes and you learned from them. Tyrion has done nothing but fail me since I took him into my service. He failed to hold Mereen for me." Daenerys needed to make sure Jorah understands just how severe Tyrion's failures were. "He made a foolish pact with the slave masters and it backfired. I listened to his strategy against Cersei and it cost me all of my Westerosi allies. And his idea to get his sister to help us was for nothing. Which means my dragon died for nothing. And now the Night King has him." Daenerys had to stop as tears fell from her eyes. Viserion was still a sore subject for her.

Jorah saw this and moved to embrace his Queen. He knows how much the dragons meant to her. Losing just one was enough to break her heart. He held her as she regained her emotions. "If this is your decision, Khaleesi, then I understand. You have my undying support."

Daenerys smiled warmly at her friend. "Thank you, my friend."

"Khaleesi, I have one more suggestion, if you'll allow me."

* * *

Daenerys walked into the war room where Sansa was currently speaking with Lord Royce.

"The moment we can get the last infantryman out onto the field, we should shut the gates," said Lord Royce.

"Keep them open for as long as you can," ordered Sansa. "There are still people coming in from the countryside."

It was then that both Sansa and Royce noticed that Daenerys had just entered the room. Both of them stood up but said nothing. Sansa crossed her arms behind her back.

"Lady Sansa, I was hoping we could speak alone."

Lord Royce turned to Sansa who simply nodded. Lord Royce nodded back and moved to leave the room. When he was close to Daenerys, he made sure to bow respectfully. With that he left the room, leaving Daenerys and Sansa alone.

"I thought you and I were on the verge of agreement before," stated Dany. "About Ser Jaime."

"Brienne has been loyal to me, always," explained Sansa. "I trust her more than anyone."

Daenerys nodded. "I wish I could have that kind of faith in my advisors"

"Tyrion is a good man," Sansa defended. "He was never anything but decent towards me."

"I didn't ask him to be my Hand simply because he was good," explained Daenerys. "I asked him to be my Hand because I knew he was good, and I thought he was intelligent, and ruthless when he needed to be. But he's failed me too many times. He never should have trusted Cersei."

"You never should have either."

"I didn't trust Cersei. I trusted Tyrion and I thought he knew his sister."

Sansa nodded. "Families are complicated."

Daenerys smiled. "Ours certainly have been," she said as she took a seat. Sansa took a seat too.

"A sad thing to have in common." Sansa noted.

"We have other things in common," Daenerys pointed out. "We've both known what it means to lead people who aren't inclined to accept a woman's rule. And we've both done a damn good job of it, from what I can tell."

Sansa smiled at that.

"And yet, I can't help but feel we're at odds with one another," stated Daenerys. "Why is that?"

Sansa said nothing but Daenerys knew what she was thinking. "Your brother."

Sansa looked at Daenerys. "He loves you; you know that."

Daenerys knew that all too well. And Sansa did not like it. "That bothers you." She would respond as civil as possible, but she was tempted to yell at her that her and Jon's love was not as one-sided as Sansa seemed to believe.

"Men do stupid things for women," said Sansa. "They're easily manipulated."

Daenerys could understand that. But she needed to make sure Sansa understood why she came. "All my life, I've known one goal: The Iron Throne. Taking it back from the people who destroyed my family, and almost destroyed yours. My war was against them," Dany explained. "Until I met Jon. Now I'm here, half a world away; fighting the only war that matters alongside him. Tell me who manipulated whom?" Dany asked with the kindest look she could muster.

Sansa scoffed. Then she said, "I should have thanked the moment you arrived. That was a mistake."

Dany was touched by Sansa's kind words. Perhaps they could finally find common ground. She put her hand gently on Sansa's.

"I'm here because I love your brother, and I trust him; and I know he's true to his word," Daenerys declared with love in her voice. "He's only the second man in my life I can say that about."

"Who was the first?" asked Sansa curiously.

"Someone taller," Daenerys answered making a serious face. Both women giggled at this

"And what happens afterwards?" Sansa asked. Daenerys gave a confused look. "We defeat the dead, we destroy Cersei. What happens then?"

"I take the Iron Throne," answered Daenerys.

Sansa's face turned cold. "What about the North?"

Daenerys looked confused.

"It was taken from us, and we took it back," declared Sansa with an icy tone and look. "And we said we'd never bow to anyone else again. What about the North?"

Daenerys glared back at Sansa. She removed her hand. Daenerys was disappointed. She thought she and Sansa could work out their difference and at least get along. But evidently not.

Sansa glared coldly at Daenerys. She will not fall for her pretty words. She's just another tyrant. '_I will not allow her to take the North away from us. Jon might be willing to allow that, but not me. And I am the eldest trueborn Stark. I will not allow this Dragon bitch to keep me from my rightful place.'_

But before either could say a word, Maester Wolkan came into the room.

"Apologies my lady. Your Grace…"

Daenerys and Sansa turned to Wolkan. "What is it?" Daenerys asked with an annoyed tone.

* * *

Maester Wolkan led both women into the Great Hall. Someone was waiting for them there.

Theon Greyjoy. With a group of Ironborn soldiers.

Daenerys and Sansa looked at Theon in surprise.

Theon first walked towards Daenerys. He bent the knee.

"My queen," said Theon humbly and respectfully.

Daenerys was glad to see Theon alive and well, but…

"Your sister?" asked Dany concerned.

"She only has a few ships, and she couldn't sail them here," explained Theon. "So she's sailing to the Iron Islands instead, to take them back in your name."

Daenerys smiled. She was relieved to hear that one of her allies was free and going to fight in her name.

"But why aren't you with her?" she asked Theon curiously.

Theon turned to Sansa who was looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"I want to fight for Winterfell, Lady Sansa… if you'll have me."

With a tearful smile, Sansa marched over to Theon and embraced him tightly. Theon returned the embrace.

While hugging her, Daenerys gave him a warm smile.

And Theon smiled back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: And that my dear readers was my longest chapter yet. And one of my favorites. My boy Theon has finally made it to Winterfell. I can't wait to write more of him. He's one of my absolute favorites. We did not see Jon that much this chapter, but don't worry he'll have more time in the next chapter.
> 
> So, Arya is finally teaching Dany how to fight. Now if Dany falls off her dragon, she'll know how to protect herself. Plus, come on, Daenerys is a badass. Visenya Targaryen reborn, except more beautiful and kinder. Just to make it clear Jon is not avoiding Dany because of incest. Aunt/Nephew relationships were okay. Heck even in the modern world, some places still have it legal. No, Jon is just having an identity crisis. He's avoiding everybody while he processes this.
> 
> If there was any doubt that Cersei was not the Mad Queen, I think they are gone now. That was a very brutal and horrifying execution, similar to what the Mad King did to the Starks. Cersei's cruelty might have some repercussions, but we'll have to wait and see. And he has appeared again. He's almost at Winterfell. And he has a huge plan to execute. And with his massive army, he's most likely going to succeed.
> 
> And just to be clear, this story is not anti-Tyrion. I'm not gonna lie, I seriously considered making it anti-Tyrion. He was such an idiot the past few seasons and in the fake season, what he did, I hated him for it. And unlike many of the other characters, Tyrion was being an idiot in the real seasons. (Season 8 is fake to me, only real seasons are 1-7.) But I decided to maybe give him a chance to make up for what he did. He just won't be Hand anymore. He's failed too many times and his mistakes cost Dany too much. Also because of his stupid idea to get Cersei to help him, the Night King has Viserion. Realistically, anyone with Tyrion's record of failures and costly mistakes would be fired. So that's what happened. But Daenerys is a kind ruler. She's going to give him a chance to atone and to get Casterly Rock along with his brother.
> 
> Please leave me long and detailed reviews! Short ones are also okay, but I want to hear all your thoughts on this! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! Oh by the way, anyone notice something interesting about Ghost this chapter?


	8. War Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arrivals at Winterfell and Plans for the coming Battles are drawn...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my beloved readers! The adventure of our favorite King and Queen continues! Just a heads up, the next two chapters will be much shorter. But I promise to do my best to make them enjoyable. We’re getting close to the Battle of Winterfell but there are a few more things I’d like to go through before then. Now the last two weeks were the anniversary of the absolute worst episodes ever shown on TV. The intense hatred I feel for those disgusting pieces of filth is inexplainable. But the stories of great authors like my good friend Longclaw_1_6, and the love for my story, and the love for Daenerys and Jon helped make those days better. Jon and Daenerys live in our hearts and it’s up to us to honor them with the happiness that they deserve. So let’s get into the episode and enjoy the show!

Outside, children were eating bowls of stew, bread, and anything else that was available to eat. People lined up to receive food. The food was being handed out by Ser Davos and Gilly.

One man who was next in line spoke to Davos.

“Milord, we’re not soldiers.”

“You are now,” replied Davos as he served the man stew. But Davos noticed that the man still looked afraid. “Look, I made it through most of my years without ever getting near a fight, but then I survived the Battle of the Bastards,” recounted Davos, “Right outside these walls. If I can live through that, you can live through this.”

The man looked calmer and reassured. Davos smiled at that.

“They’ll outfit you with weapons at the forge,” said Davos as he directed the man to the forge. “Right that way.”

With a grateful look, the man said “Thank you,” before heading off the direction to the forge with his bowl of stew.

Meanwhile, Gilly was speaking with some older women, pointing out where they will go when the fighting begins.

“When the time comes, you’ll be inside the Great Hall. It’s the safest place to be.”

One of the women gave Gilly a warm smile. “Thank you,” she said before leaving with the other women.

Davos was busy readying some more food when he heard a voice. It was undoubtedly the voice of a young girl.

“Which way should I go?” asked the young girl.

Davos looked towards the girl who was and was instantly overcome with emotion. The little girl had brown hair, a hood, but most noticeably scars on the right side of her face. Davos was emotional because this little girl reminded him so much of his beloved Princess Shireen. Even after all this time, Davos still missed the Baratheon princess fiercely.

Davos managed to keep his emotions from bursting and asked the tone in a kind, fatherly voice “Which way do you want to go?”

Neither noticed Gilly watching them and walking towards them.

“All the children will be going into the Great Hall when the time comes,” said the little girl. “But both me brothers were soldiers. I want to fight too.” The girl finished with a fierce, brave tone as she handed Davos her bowl.

Davos was amazed by this young girl. She is brave. She’s more like Shireen than he thought.

As Davos was putting stew in the girl’s bowl, Gilly approached the girl and kneeled down to her level.

“That’s good to hear,” said Gilly kindly. “I’m going to be in the Great Hall with my son, and I’d feel a lot better with you down there to protect us.”

“I’m sure a lot of people would,” said Davos as he handed the bowl of stew to Gilly so she could hand it over to the young girl. The girl took the bowl and gave a brave smile to Davos and Gilly.

“Alright. I’ll defend the Great Hall, then.”

The young girl then walked away with her bowl. Davos and Gilly shared a smile, proud of the little girl for her bravery. But suddenly they heard a horn blare.

“Riders coming in!”

Many people rushed to the front gate to greet the riders. Among them was Jon Snow.

Jon noticed that the arrivals were Free Folk and Night’s Watch. He saw Sam embracing their good friend Edd. With a smile, Jon began walking towards Edd to embrace him as well. But just before he reached him, he was tackled in a fierce bear hug by Tormund.

“My little crow,” said Tormund while chuckling.

“I thought we lost you.”

“Almost.”

Jon then turned to Edd and the two friends embraced tightly. Afterwards Jon turned to Beric Dondarrion and shook his hand and gave him a respectful nod.

“How did you find each other?” asked Jon.

It was Edd who answered. “We met up at the Last Hearth.”

“The dead got there first,” said Tormund.

Jon realized in horror what that could mean. “The Umbers?”

“Fighting for the Night King now,” answered Beric.

“We had to travel around them to get here,” said Tormund. “It’s a safe bet that whoever is not here now is with them.”

“How long do we have?” asked Jon.

“Three days at least. Maybe a few more if we’re lucky,” said Edd.

Jon shared a concerned look with Sam. It was almost time. They had to prepare for the upcoming battle.

“The big woman still here?” asked Tormund with a grin.

* * *

It was fitting, the intense chill that even half a dozen braziers couldn’t banish from the war room of Winterfell. The gathered leaders of the armies and houses all looked to the man at the head of the table – one of the few ever to fight the coming enemy. “They’re coming,” said Jon. He looked out at the gathered faces of Theon, Jaime, Brienne, Davos, the senior Northern and Vale Lords, Tormund, Grey Worm, Missandei, Sam, Dothraki Bloodriders, and his own siblings. They were preparing for the imminent arrival of the Night King and his massive army, and all looked to him. He wanted to seek out the hand of his beloved Daenerys beside him but resisted the urge.

“How can we stop them, my Lord?” asked Yohn Royce, supremely professional as befitting a hardened warrior.

“We have Valyrian Steel, fire, and dragonglass. But there are too many of them. Far too many.” He sighed, remembering the glowing blue of their eyes. “This enemy is unlike anything we have ever faced before,” Jon warned. “They do not tire, they do not fear, and they will never stop. They take no prisoners, show no mercy, feel no pain.”

One of the bloodriders boasted in his guttural speech, pounding his chest. Daenerys translated for the others. “Qhono says that the weight of their horses will crush any walking corpse.”

There was a chorus of nods, however grudging. A Dothraki horde was notorious in massed charges.

But Jon shook his head. “A direct assault would be suicide. They’ll crush us like insects – swarm over us and leave nothing but red snow in their wake.”

A quick translation for the bloodriders found them skeptical but deferential to the man that rode their Khaleesi’s dragon. “And we cannot just kill them one by one from the walls. We would be wasting time and weapons.”

“Then how do we fight them?” asked Jaime.

“The Night King is their master. He created them all,” explained Jon. “While we were North of the Wall, we found out that killing a Walker would destroy the dead that he himself created. But the Night King created all of them, both wights and Walkers. If we destroy him, his entire army should fall apart completely.”

Arya furrowed her brows skeptically. “But if that’s true then he won’t reveal himself.” Battles she knew little of, but she knew duels. The leaders never exposed themselves. “The other ones, aye, but I doubt he will show himself.”

“There is one way he might.” All eyes looked to Bran Stark, his voice cold but earnest. “Me.”

“Why would he show himself for you?” asked Arya.

His gaze fell on both his sisters. “I’m the Three-Eyed Raven.” Bran closed his eyes. “He’s killed more Three-Eyed Ravens than I can count. I don’t know exactly why.”

“But you can bring him here?” asked Missandei, not knowing just how to comprehend all of this. Unlike Jon, she wasn’t shy in grabbing Grey Worm’s hand for support as Dany noted. “Does that mean you can see him?”

“Last time I did, he was around Last Hearth, but I haven’t been able to find him since. I just know that the army is coming.” Bran was still trying to comprehend the limits of his powers. “I can’t see into his mind – his power is far stronger than mine. But if he is trying to destroy the Three-Eyed Raven completely then he will come for me.”

“Why? What does he want?” asked Sam.

Bran shrugged. “Who knows? Perhaps an endless night. Perhaps dominion over the world. Or perhaps simply to kill humanity. He was created by the Children of the Forest to wage war on the First Men; perhaps he’s trying to finish what his creators started?”

“How will he find you?” asked Tyrion.

Bran rolled up his sleeve to show everyone the Night King’s mark on his arm. “His mark is on me,” he answered. “He always knows where I am.”

Sharing a look with his sisters, Jon came to a decision.

“We’ll put you in the Great Hall where it’s safest.”

“No, we need to lure him out into the open and destroy him before his entire army destroys us.” Bran made a decision of his own. “I’ll wait for him in the Godswood.”

“You want us to use you as bait?” Sansa asked incredulously.

“We’re not leaving you alone out there,” insisted Arya. They had lost enough Starks in these dreadful wars.

“He won’t be,” announced Theon. His voice low but no less determined. “I’ll stay with him. With the Ironborn.” Theon turned to Bran. “I took this castle from you before. Let me defend you now.” He received a nod from who was all intents and purposes his younger brother.

Looking over at Jon, Daenerys saw his eyes sparkle for her, easing her worries. “I have spoken with Grey Worm,” she began. “And we would like to offer one hundred of our best Unsullied to guard the Great Hall and the innocents inside. Half of them will guard the entrances to the keep and the other half will protect the ones inside.”

The shocked lords looked at each other and nodded – most of them anyway. The Unsullied were said to be the best soldiers in the world and the majority were impressed with the Dragon Queen’s generosity. Especially one.

“Thank you, Your Grace,” said Jon, voice quivering with emotion that she noticed. “We will also leave the ones inside the Great Hall with weapons so that on the chance the dead break in, they’ll have a way to protect themselves.”

Sansa crossed her arms, not impressed. “So, what should we do about the rest of the dead? What’s the best way to hold them off?” she asked.

Jon was deep in thought. As he said, a direct attack would be suicide. But what if…?

“I have an idea. As I said before, we can’t charge at them recklessly. But what if we are able to compress the dead into a tight position?”

“How would we be able to that?” asked Brienne.

Jon looked down at the table, displaying a map with all the forces marked. “We can position a majority of our forces a hundred yards ahead of the Winterfell gates.” Jon gestured to the positions, remembering every hill of ground in which he explored and fought upon over his life. “The Northmen and Free Folk will hold the center and, on each flank, the Unsullied. As the dead attack, our forces slowly withdraw back into the gates, but the center gives more ground.”

“You expect our men to risk their lives more than foreign savages?” growled Lord Cerwyn, affront on his face. The glares of Daenerys, Missandei, and Grey Worm didn’t seem to faze him in his insult.

Jon’ glare did make him falter, though – an equal fire as the Dragon Queen. “Your men, Lord Cerwyn, will with the rest of the center hem the dead into crescent-shaped salient, which will have them tightly packed together.”

Anger clouding her, it took several seconds for Dany to catch on. “And then we have my Dothraki and the Knights of the Vale charge around and hit the dead from the sides and the rear.” Oh, Jon was brilliant. “Given that Lord Snow is now a dragonrider, he and I should use Rhaegal and Drogon to burn the majority of them in the center.” The two locked eyes and Jon smiled at how Dany caught on.

“Exactly. I was about to suggest the dragons.”

Arya approved of how in sync they were while Sansa huffed.

Seeing the brilliance in the tactics, Jaime nodded in agreement. “Yes, this could actually work.” Jaime gave Jon a respectful nod and smile, impressed by the young leader’s natural gift for tactics.

“In the meantime, Queen Daenerys and I will monitor the situation from the hills above, and after our attack run back away and hover over Winterfell. Not too near or the Night King won’t come. But close enough to pursue him when he does,” said Jon.

“Will dragonfire destroy him? Or Valyrian Steel?” asked Arya to Bran.

“I don’t know. No one’s ever tried before,” Bran answered.

That put nerves on everyone. If the Night King couldn’t be destroyed, then they would lose.

“We’re all going to die,” said Tormund. When he noticed Brienne looking at him, Tormund turned to her with a smile. “But at least we’ll die together.”

Seeing the apprehension in the room, Jon dismissed them. “We only have a few days before they arrive. Let’s get some rest.”

With that everyone began leaving the room to go rest and do whatever they wanted before the battle finally begins.

Soon the only ones left in the room where Jon, Daenerys, Bran, and Tyrion. Both proud and concerned over her love and betrothed, Dany walked over to Jon and placed a hand on his arm.

“I love you,” she murmured.

He leaned his forehead upon hers. “I love you too.”

“Do you want to talk?” she asked.

Jon sighed and put his hand on Dany’s. “Not yet. But I promise, soon.”

With that Jon left the room.

Dany was sad that her beloved still wasn’t telling her what bothered him so. And soon he might not be able to tell her because they could both be dead.

She began leaving the room when she heard Bran’s voice.

“Daenerys.” Dany turned to Bran. “Don’t worry. He will tell you soon. And he still loves you more than anything.”

She was glad to hear someone else say it. “Bran, please tell me what is bothering him so much?”

“I’m sorry but I can’t. I told Jon because he needed to know and now he must be the one to decide who he will tell. But I promise, you will know soon enough.”

Not knowing what to make of that, Daenerys bit her lip and looked to the doorway. Trusting him, but still dreading what would come. Feeling something wet poke her stomach, Dany looked down to see Ghost nuzzling her. A nervous laugh left her lips.

“Least I have you, boy.”

Ghost licked his snout, leaning into her pets. He followed her as she left the room.

“So I suppose you wouldn’t tell me what secret you told your brother?” asked Tyrion.

Bran smirked at the dwarf. “Nope,” he said bluntly.

Tyrion smiled before walking towards Bran. “You’ve had a strange journey.”

“Stranger than most.”

“I’d like to hear it,” said Tyrion as he pulled a chair to sit right next to Bran in front of the fire.

“It’s a long story.”

“If only we were trapped in a castle, in the middle of winter, with nowhere to go.” Tyrion said with a witty tone. Bran shrugged and decided to indulge him.

* * *

With a cup of wine in her hand, Mad Queen Cersei stood in the middle of the large map of Westeros she had painted. By her side was the psychotic Euron Greyjoy.

“I’m curious Euron. What have you done with those incompetent guards who let your niece and nephew get away?” asked Cersei.

Euron gave a deranged smile. “I had their limbs removed one by one. Starting with the hands and feet. And then the eyes.” Euron felt his cock tighten in his breeches as he thought of the brutal torture he inflicted on his incompetent guards. “Tied them to the mast and let them rot in the sun. Made my whole crew watch. Now they all know the price of failing me.”

Cersei smirked. “Good. In fact, you have just given me an idea on how to keep these filthy commoners further in line.”

The two sadistic monarchs chuckled as they thought of the terror of the smallfolk.

Suddenly the door opened and in came Captain Harry Strickland. Strickland made his way over to Cersei and Euron, and despite his great unease of them, he kneeled before them.

“You summoned me, Your Grace?” asked the Captain.

“Yes. You may rise Captain Strickland.” And as Strickland rose, Cersei revealed what she summoned him for. “I want to take some precautions against the Dragon Queen and the dead. On the off chance she and her savages survive their war in the North, or if the dead make it south, I’d like to make sure that they take massive losses before they even have a chance of reaching the capital.” Cersei walked along the map, stopping at the Riverlands. “That’s why I summoned you.”

“What would you like me to do, Your Grace?” he asked.

“I want you to take half of the Golden Company, including twenty-five elephants, to Harrenhal. Also take two thousand of my Lannister troops. Wait there until either the Dragon Queen or the dead make it there. Destroy as many of them as you can.”

“But Your Grace, what about the dragons?” asked Strickland with a worried tone. “Harrenhal was destroyed by dragons during Aegon’s conquest.”

Cersei smirked. “Not to worry. My Hand Qyburn has created superior Scorpions for you to take with you. Use them to destroy the dragons. And if that doesn’t work, try to shoot that silver-haired bitch riding them.”

Strickland nodded. He was not eager to do this, but he has been paid. And he doesn’t want to incur the wrath of the Queen. Besides, getting away from this city would be a relief. “I will do as you command, Your Grace. I shall prepare my men to march. We’ll leave in two days.”

Cersei nodded and dismissed the fool. Strickland bowed and made his exit.

“You said to take only twenty-five elephants,” said Euron. “You want the other five to stay here?”

“Yes,” answered Cersei. “The other half of the Golden Company will stay here to work as defenses. And elephants will be extremely powerful defenses. Besides I want to tame those beasts and make them serve me.”

Euron grinned. “I like the way you think. Do you need anything of me?” Euron asked as he waggled his eyebrows.

Cersei rolled her eyes. “Not now. Why not help the Goldcloaks keep the smallfolk in check?” she suggested.

Euron shrugged and bowed. “As you wish, my Queen.”

Euron walked out of the room, his boots echoing.

Cersei sipped her wine as she looked at the map of Westeros. _Soon it will all be mine. And I will burn it all before I let that Dragon Whore take it._

* * *

Daenerys walked outside with Ghost trailing next to her. Dany smiled as she walked by. She watched her people interacting with the Northmen and Free Folk. It would appear that most of the Northmen have warmed up to her and her people. Unsullied could be seen sharing tales with Northmen as they sharpened weapons, Dothraki and Free Folk drinking and roistering loudly together, and she even saw some children greet her dear friend Missandei.

As she walked by, a few of the Northmen and women smiled and bowed their heads to her. “Your Grace.”

Dany made sure to flash them her warmest smile. She was so happy that her love’s people were beginning to accept her as one of them.

“Excuse me, Your Grace?”

Dany looked to see a little girl in front of her. The little girl had pale skin, messy brown hair, and blue eyes.

“Hello little one,” she said kindly as she kneeled down to her level. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Luna, Your Grace,” answered the child.

“It’s wonderful to meet you Luna. I’m Daenerys.”

“I know. And you are probably the loveliest noblewoman I have ever seen.”

Dany beamed brightly at Luna. “Thank you child. And I am quite certain you will be a great beauty when you grow up.”

Luna’s eyes widened in joy. “You really think so?”

Dany put her hand on Luna’s shoulder. “Absolutely.”

“Thank you so much, Your Grace. Actually, I wanted to give you something. As a show of gratitude for saving our King and for coming to save us from the monsters that are coming.”

“Oh, you don’t have to give me anything Luna. All I want is for you and everyone else to be safe and to have a better life.”

“Please. I want to give this to you,” said Luna with pleading eyes. Dany could not allow herself to disappoint this sweet girl.

“Alright. What do you have for me?”

Luna smiled excitedly and reached into the inside of her pocket. She pulled out a gorgeous blue rose. She held it out to Dany. “It’s a winter rose, Your Grace. It’s a rare and beautiful flower grown here in the North. I thought you might like it.”

Dany stared at the blue rose in shock. This sweet little girl was giving her such an exquisite flower. She felt so honored. With a warm smile and tears in her eyes, she took the flower.

“Luna. Thank you so, so much for this beautiful flower. I love it. Thank you!” Dany said before hugging Luna. Luna was surprised but then quickly returned the hug. It felt so good to be in the presence of such a kind and compassionate Queen.

When the hug broke, Luna asked “May I?” She wanted to put the flower in Dany’s hair.

Dany smiled. “Of course you may!” She handed Luna the Winter Rose and Luna put in Dany’s hair.

Dany smiled at the feeling of the beautiful rose in her hair. She gave Luna a beaming smile.

There was a horn blowing. Dany and Luna looked in surprise.

“RIDER APPROACHING!!!” shouted one of the soldiers.

Dany gave Luna a nod before heading to meet the new arrival to Winterfell, Ghost following closely.

Dany saw a familiar figure. A cloaked man on a black horse. It was the same cloaked man as the one who rescued Jon. Dany remembered the man telling her that they would meet again.

Dany walked over to the man who was on the receiving end of many stares.

“Hello Ser. It is good to see you again. Are you here to help us against the dead?” asked Dany as she greeted the cloaked man.

“Aye.” Said the cloaked man.

“If you don’t mind, could you reveal your name to me?” asked Dany. “I want to personally thank you for saving Jon Snow North of the Wall.”

“No thanks are necessary. Family always protects each other.”

Dany looked in confusion. Family?

The cloaked man took of his hood to reveal a face with icy pale skin and long black hair. And the same grey eyes that Jon and Arya had.

“It’s a pleasure to formally meet you, Queen Daenerys. My name is Benjen Stark.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TADA!!!!! The cloaked man is Uncle Benjen Stark! I know you are all wondering how he survived! We’ll cover that next chapter! And he has a special gift for Daenerys!  
So the strategy for the dead was shown. Huge shoutout to my good friend Longclaw who helped me write it and come up with the tactics! I’m not wasting the Dothraki with a stupid charge that wipes them all out (or not according to Dumb&Dumber), they will charge but it will be a carefully planned charge that will serve a purpose. We don’t know the Night King’s true desire. And Bran can’t see because the Night King is far stronger than him. And since the transformation from the previous Raven was done too quickly and not fully completed, Bran is not all powerful. He is powerful and can see a lot, but against the Night King he will lose all the time in the visions.  
Cersei is sending half of the Golden Company to Harrenhal as a precaution. She’s insane but she can still make some plans. Let’s see how it all turns out.  
Good news! Chapter 9 will be uploaded either tomorrow or Monday! It’s a very short chapter so I can get it done quickly! Thank you all so much for reading! Please leave a long review for me! But of course, short ones are okay too!


	9. Gifts and Talks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A family reunion is held, a special gift is given, and a LOT of conversations!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello dear readers! Surprise! You get another chapter right away! But this will be a short chapter. Just a few conversations being held and Benjen revealing what happened. Let’s get right into it, shall we?

Daenerys was in shock. Benjen Stark? Jon’s uncle. But Jon had told her that he died? And yet there was something familiar about him.

“First Ranger Benjen Stark?” she asked in surprise, remembering his title. “But Jon said that you died.”

The last of Rickard Stark’s brood chuckled, waving it off. “I’m not dead yet, your Grace. And it’s a good thing because I intend to help you and Jon destroy the Night King.”

Seeming to determine that this new arrival was not a threat to his new mother, Ghost made his way over to Benjen and began nudging his hand with his snout. He chuckled again and stroked Ghost’s head.

“It’s good to see you again Ghost.”

While both were sure many eyes were watching them from the courtyard and walls, neither Danenerys nor Benjen noticed the new arrival until he spoke with clear surprise.

“Uncle Benjen?!” A tone shocked but hopeful.

Benjen and Daenerys both turned to see Jon, gaping at his uncle as if seeing a spirit.

“Hello nephew,” said the former First Ranger with a warm voice.

That did it for Jon. With tears in his eyes, he rushed to his uncle and embraced him tightly. From the side, Dany watched them with a warm smile, happy to see her beloved reunite with his uncle. Not wishing to interrupt and content with letting uncle and nephew have their moment.

“I thought you were dead,” he murmured as he loosened the embrace. “We all thought you had died on a ranging mission when your horse returned to Castle Black. What happened to you?”

“It’s a long story Jon,” Benjen sighed. “And I would like the rest of your siblings to be there when I explain.”

“Well, they are all together in the study.” He took Dany’s hand in his almost automatically as he gestured for Benjen to follow. “I’ll take you to them.”

At the little display of love and affection, Benjen smiled – he could tell the Dragon Queen cared for his nephew the first time he saw her, but it seemed as if they had progressed rapidly from there. _Just like it was always meant to be. _“I’d like you to be there too Daenerys.”

Dany blinked in surprise. “But… no, it’s alright. I wouldn’t want to disrupt your family.”

_‘But you are my family’. _He couldn’t say that just yet, for it was not his place, so Benjen put his hand on Dany’s soldier. “You won’t be. And I need you to be there.” She raised her eyebrow curiously. “I’ll explain later.”

Dany looked to Jon for approval, Dany saw him nod. Eyes pleading for her to come, desiring her there. “All right.”

“Splendid, though you don’t need to lead the way, nephew. It’s my home too.” All shared a slight laugh at the jape.

* * *

The two followed Jon to the Lord’s solar, where as Jon indicated his sisters waited – to meet with him, in which he was headed to before finding Benjen speaking to Dany in the courtyard.

When they saw their uncle, Arya and Sansa shot up from their chairs and immediately ran into his arms. Benjen laughed joyously as he tightly embraced both of his nieces. Another Stark not lost to the ravages of the last several years. When Benjen let them go, he walked over to Bran… who unexpectedly smiled warmly – well as warmly as he could. Benjen knelt and tightly hugged his nephew.

“You made it, Uncle.” Bran said as the hug broke, a bit of emotion in his voice.

Benjen smiled. “I did,” he replied earnestly. “Just like all of you.” All endured their own version of hells on earth, but survived.

“Uncle?” asked Arya. “What happened to you? Where have you been all these years?”

He pressed a kiss to her brow. “I’m going to tell you everything, dear Arya. It’s a long story but you all deserve to know.”

Benjen took a seat and motioned for everyone else to do the same so he could tell his tale. But Sansa spoke up. Having been so excited to reunite with her uncle, she had not noticed the silver-haired queen.

“I’m sorry your Grace, but you should leave,” she insisted rudely. “This is a family matter.”

The other Starks – after a moment’s shock - both glared at Sansa coldly.

“You make no commands of her sister.” Jon defended. “As for your request, she is staying Sansa. Whether you like it or not.”

It was Sansa’s turn to look upon her siblings in shock. “Are you japing? She’s not family!” yelled Sansa. “This is a family matter between the Starks of Winterfell.”

At this Jon was ready to lash out at his sister. But he was stopped before he could.

“She needs to be here,” said Benjen in a cool tone. Everyone turned to him. “If you do not want her here, Sansa, then you can leave.”

Sansa gaped at that. Was Uncle Benjen really siding with the foreign Targaryen? She looked around and saw that she would get no support from anyone else.

“Fine,” she huffed, crossing her arms before sitting down – her own little power play blocked by the patriarch of House Stark.

Jon, Daenerys, and Arya took their seats as well. Benjen leaned against his brother’s desk, hanging his head in exhaustion.

“I led a ranging party north to track down the White Walkers. But they found us. They slaughtered everyone in my party. A Walker pierced me in the gut with his ice sword,” the atmosphere of the room became as cold as outside, everyone but Bran – who already knew - looking at Benjen in horror. “Left me to die and turn in the snow.”

“How did you survive? Without turning into one of them?” asked Jon. He saw personally what it was like.

“It was the Children of the Forest,” answered Benjen. “They saved me and stopped the Walker’s magic with a dragonglass blade.”

Even after seeing the Walkers and the dead – after losing Viserion – Daenerys had to admit to herself she didn’t know all the First Men legends. “The Children of the Forest? Like the ones in the stories?”

He regarded who would hopefully be his goodniece soon with an impressed glance. “Yes,” Benjen answered. “They also rescued Bran and his friends.”

“So the Children are real?” asked an excited Arya.

“Were,” said Bran. “They’re all dead now. Because of me.” Bran said with a hint of sadness. There was a long silence.

“Why would you say that?” inquired Sansa.

“I went into a vision without the previous Three-Eyed Raven. I just wanted to go back into those visions and I made a stupid mistake. The Night King marked me and he came to the Raven’s cave.” Bran bared his hand, showing the dark blue mark etched into the pale skin of his arm. “With his mark on me, he could get inside – he could find me and follow me anywhere. The Children all sacrificed themselves so me and Meera could escape. And Hodor and Summer sacrificed themselves too.” Bran had tears in his eyes, the loss of his beloved wolf and friend were still hard on him. Breaking through the fog of the Three-Eyed Raven.

Benjen put a hand on Bran’s shoulder. “They died to protect you. They wouldn’t have wanted anything to happen to you. And the previous Three-Eyed-Raven fulfilled his purpose.”

Bran gave a small smile to his uncle, appreciating his efforts to comfort him. Everything that had happened or was happening… he’d give it up to just to have his friends and loved ones back – at least there could be a chance to patch things up with Meera after the Night King was defeated. He missed her.

“Speaking of the previous Three-Eyed-Raven, that is why I wanted you here, Daenerys.” Benjen said as he got up. “He gave me something special. And now I give it to you, its rightful owner.”

Benjen reached into his cloak and pulled out a sword in a magnificent scabbard, red and encrusted with emeralds across its length. Dany’s eyes widened as she gazed upon it in amazement as benjen gently handed it to her. Hand trembling as she reached out, Dany grabbed the hilt of the sword and pulled it out of its scabbard. Somehow… this felt right. As if she was destined to have it.

There was an audible gasp from Arya. Jon looked at the sword in awe. Sansa gaped with shock. Bran loo.

Dany’s breath shuddered as she admired the gorgeous weapon. It was clearly Valyrian Steel, metal rippling while the pommel was shaped like flames. The hilt had a red jewel at the center. Its slender blade was so easy to handle in her delicate arms.

It didn’t take an expert to know exactly what this sword was.

“This is Dark Sister,” she murmured.

Arya stood next to Dany and touched the sword. “Oh gods… I can’t believe it!” This was the sword of her childhood hero, Visenya Targaryen. To see it in the flesh was like a dream come true for her. ‘_Guess she won’t need that dragonglass blade. This is so much better for her.’_

Even as he started upon Dark Sister, Jon could not believe it. One of the legendary Targaryen swords that was lost to the world was now back in the hands of the person who deserved it more than anyone. To Dany, the last female Targaryen. _‘If Blackfyre is ever found… I suppose it would be mine…’ _He was ecstatic that his love now had a Valyrian Steel sword like he does.

“But… how?” asked an amazed Dany. “The sword was lost when Bloodraven disappeared North of the Wall.”

“Bloodraven _was_ the previous Three-Eyed Raven,” answered Benjen. “He kept the sword with him all this time, even as he was enveloped by the roots of the great weirwood. After the Children saved me, he gave it to me to fight the White Walkers. And now I return it to House Targaryen.”

Dany had tears in her eyes as she beamed at Benjen. She then hugged Benjen. “Thank you so much! Thank you!”

Benjen gave Daenerys a kind smile. “It’s my pleasure, my Queen.” He leaned into her ear. “Consider it an early wedding present for when Jon and you eventually wed.”

The fact Jon was still distant around her did give Dany mixed feelings, but she was too happy at the moment to be upset. Another connection to her family, one that would make sure she would never be vulnerable again.

Breaking the embrace with Benjen, she was suddenly enveloped by Jon, a much happier hug that she felt no shame in losing herself in.

One of them wasn’t happy about it. Sansa could not believe that her uncle was handing this extremely valuable sword to the Dragon Queen without any promise or reward. Her family had been burned too many times for altruistic gestures and foolish honor. “But uncle. She can’t even use a sword.”

Arya scoffed. “For the record, dear sister, I have been training Daenerys for quite some time now. And she is a natural at it. She will definitely be able to use this sword.”

Sucking in a deep breath, Sansa opened her mouth to speak but realized the futility of it. Jon has been fully lost to her, and it seemed Arya was too. Bran was hardly Bran at this point so there was no reason to bother with him. Head up high, resolved to speak to each of them about it one at a time.

Sensing the tension still simmering, Arya tugged on Dany’s arm. “I think we should adapt your strategy to a longsword. It’s time for your lesson today anyways.”

Dany sighed. “Alright.” Looking back at Jon, she felt selfish enough to seek him out for a tender kiss. Quick but passionate, one he reciprocated to her delight.

Once they were gone, Jon turned to find his uncle crossing his arms. “What?”

“You’re tense around her nephew… I can tell.” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you know about your mother?”

Jon simply asked “You knew as well? And you didn’t tell me?”

Benjen sighed before placing a hand on Jon’s shoulder. “I wanted to tell you. Very badly. But I did not need my brother to tell me. I can see Lya in you, Jon. You have her kindness, her stubbornness, and her good looks,” he said humorously. “Also, I knew from the beginning that Robert’s Rebellion was a lie. Lya told me how much she loved Rhaegar Targaryen. I knew Lyanna would never be happy with that whoremonger Robert. One thing Ned was a fool for. Thinking that Robert would change for our sister. But he wouldn’t.”

“That’s why I didn’t want you to go to the Wall,” continued Benjen. “You didn’t belong there. Unfortunately, with Ned going south and Catelyn refusing to allow you to stay,” there was a hint of anger in Benjen’s voice. One strain with his relationship with is brother was how he allowed her to treat their nephew. “There was no choice. I knew Lya would be unhappy with this. She would not want her son to rot at the Wall with murderers and rapists. If only she and Rhaegar had lived. You would have had a wonderful childhood Jon. A mother and father who loved you more than anything. And you would have been with Daenerys your whole life. I knew you two belonged together since when I brought you to her at Eastwatch.”

Jon looked up in surprise. “You’re the one who got me to Eastwatch?”

“Yes. You were almost completely unconscious when I arrived. I had my hood and mask on. I wanted to tell you who I was but there was no time. I had to get you out of there fast. I put you on my horse and took you back to Eastwatch as quickly as I could.”

“Thank you, Uncle.” Jon said gratefully.

Benjen smiled before he placed his other hand on Jon’s other shoulder. “Listen to me Jon. Whatever you might be feeling about the truth, do not allow it to ruin your relationship with Daenerys. You need to tell her.”

Jon sighed. “I will Uncle. I just need a bit more time.”

With that Jon left the room.

Benjen sighed as he watched his beloved nephew leave the room. ‘_Oh Lya. I wish you could be here to guide him. You would know what to say to him.’_

“Don’t worry Uncle. Jon will tell her soon. I know he will.” Bran stated.

“I hope so.” Benjen said.

* * *

Theon walked through the courtyard. He had received more than a few glares. Not that he blamed them, they had every right to still be angry with him for betraying Robb. Theon sighed. It was the worst mistake of his life. And he did it for a father who never gave two shits about him. Theon didn’t believe that he should be forgiven but he desperately wanted to atone for what he did. He was immensely thankful to Bran for allowing him to protect him.

Theon had to admit, despite the bad memories, it felt good to be back at Winterfell. Especially now that Ramsay was gone. He wishes he could have been there when they fed that monster to his hounds. Theon smirked at the irony. Ramsay loved feeding people to his hounds, and he ended up being their final meal. Hopefully, Ramsay is rotting in the Seven Hells or just somewhere terrible.

Theon continued walking when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see it was the commander of Queen Daenerys’s Unsullied, Grey Worm.

“Hello Lord Greyjoy,” greeted Grey Worm.

“Grey Worm,” Theon greeted back.

“It is good to see you well. I am glad you were able to rescue your sister.”

Theon smiled thankfully. “Thank you, Grey Worm. It’s good to see you as well.”

“When fighting starts, you will be in the Godswood with Brandon Stark, correct?” asked the Unsullied commander.

“Yes. I will protect him with my life,” answered the Greyjoy.

Grey Worm smiled at Theon’s bravery. “You are very brave. Unsullied have great respect for brave men.

“Thank you, Grey Worm. But I don’t think I am worthy of respect,” a remorseful Theon said. “I have done terrible things.”

Grey Worm could see that the Greyjoy boy was full of regret and remorse. He felt that he could not be redeemed. He put his hand on Theon’s shoulder. “When Unsullied were still slaves, the masters made us kill infants in front of their mothers. We did it without hesitation. To prove that our loyalty was absolute.”

Theon was horrified and disgusted. Not at Grey Worm, but at the masters. Making the Unsullied murder infants in front of their mothers? That was just barbaric.

“Queen Daenerys knew this. And she still freed us. She gave us a better life, a second chance,” Grey Worm recounted, his voice full of pride for his beloved Queen. “And we were able to free all the other slaves and save thousands of other children. Make sure they would never live a life in chains. If Unsullied could find redemption, I believe you will as well.”

Theon was moved by Grey Worm’s words. “Thank you, Grey Worm.”

Grey Worm smiled before bidding Theon farewell. “Good Luck, Theon Greyjoy.” With that Grey Worm left to rejoin his Unsullied soldiers.

Theon was inspired by what Grey Worm told him and was more determined than ever to protect not only his Stark Family, but also the place that he called home. He doesn’t care if he dies, he will fight until his last breath.

* * *

It was snowing as night fell. Jon was standing on the battlements with Sam. Ghost was right next to them. Sam noticed Jon looking deep in thought.

“Have you told her yet, Jon?” he asked curiously.

Jon sighed. “No, not yet.”

“Why haven’t you?”

“I just need a bit more time. I’m still processing this.”

Sam nodded and dropped the subject. He still had mixed feelings about Daenerys, but he didn’t want Jon to be miserable. He hoped Jon would be able to find peace from this soon. Whatever his feelings towards Daenerys might be, Jon was his best friend and he wanted him to be happy.

The two men were soon joined by their friend Dolorous Edd. Edd walked and stood right between Jon and Sam. Edd stared out into the darkness just like his former Night’s Watch brothers were doing.

“And now our watch begins,” he declared.

Jon simply smiled light-heartedly while Sam had a nervous look on his face.

“Gilly? Little Sam?” Jon asked Sam.

“They should both be safe in the Great Hall.”

Jon sighed. “You’re staying with them,” he informed. Sam turned to Jon with a confused face. “You’ll protect them in the Great Hall.”

“Jon! Have you forgotten that I’m the first person to have killed a White Walker?!” Sam asked in frustration. “I’ve killed Thenns!”

“Thenn.” Edd corrected. But Sam continued as if he didn’t hear.

“I saved Gilly more than once. I stole a considerable number of books from the Citadel library. Survived the Fist of the First Men.”

“You’re not a fighter Sam,” said Jon. “You didn’t defeat a Walker in combat, you stabbed it in the back. You didn’t even know you were going to kill it. And you told me that Ghost had to save you at the Fist of the First Men,” turning to Sam, “You’re no fighter Sam.”

“He’s right, you know,” said Edd. “Remember when those two cunts, Dereck and Brent, tried to rape Gilly? They almost beat you to death. Ghost had to come in and save your fat arse.”

Sam looked down. What Jon and Edd were saying was technically true. Every time he tried to fight, he failed miserably. He only managed to kill the Walker and the Thenn because he caught them off-guard.

“I can’t have you out there Sam,” said Jon. “Out there you’re a liability. It’s better for you to protect Gilly and Little Sam in the Great Hall.

Sam sighed. “I know. You’re right. I just wish that I was really needed for this fight.”

“Well, if it comes to that, then we are fucked,” chided Edd.

“Calling you fucked wouldn’t be strictly accurate,” snarked Sam playfully.

Jon laughed whole-heartedly at that. Edd turned with an annoyed glare before it morphed into an amused smirk.

“Samwell Tarly. Slayer of White Walkers. Lover of Ladies,” joked Edd to a smiling Samwell. “As if we needed any more signs the world was ending.”

Sam sighed as he thought back to the beginning of it all. “Think back to where we started,” he whispered with a hint of sadness. “Us, Grenn, Pyp.

Jon looked down briefly, remembering their old friends. “Now it’s just us three.”

“Last man left, burn the rest of us,” pleaded Edd.

The three comrades continued staring out into the dark horizon, dreading the inevitable fight with the Army of the Dead.

* * *

Sam was returning to his chambers to retire to bed. And to spend some time with Gilly and Little Sam. He made it to the door, but he heard another voice besides Gilly. Gilly and this other person were giggling happily and he could even hear Little Sam’s laughs. Sam opened the door to find Gilly sitting next to a pretty woman with tan skin and curly hair. Little Sam was sitting between them, holding the curly-haired woman’s hand.

The three turned to Sam when they noticed his presence. Gilly stood up and walked over to Sam. She embraced him lovingly before cupping his face and giving him a small kiss, which Sam happily returned.

“I’ve missed you, Gilly,” whispered Sam as the kiss broke.

“I missed you too, Sam,” murmured Gilly. Gilly then decided to introduce Sam to her new friend. “Sam, I would like you to meet my new friend, Missandei of Naath.”

“Oh! It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Missandei!” greeted Sam kindly, walking over to shake Missandei’s hand. Missandei warmly smiled at Sam.

“It’s an honor to meet you as well, Sam! Gilly has told me all about you.” Missandei spoke with a kind tone.

Sam blushed. “Oh, she did? Well, Gilly is quite an amazing person.”

“I agree with you on that completely,” agreed Missandei. “To have survived so much horror…”

Sam looked down. His beloved Gilly had spent most of her life under the iron fist of her monstrous father Craster and then almost had Little Sam taken from her by a White Walker.

“I wouldn’t have survived without Sam,” said Gilly as she put an arm around her husband in all but name. “He helped me escape Craster’s Keep and then protected me and my baby from the Walker that had come to take him.”

Sam smiled lovingly at Gilly.

“Oh! Sam I forgot to tell you, Missandei is the translator and advisor of Queen Daenerys Targaryen.”

Sam was surprised to hear that. Missandei served Daenerys Targaryen? The woman who executed his father and brother… and the woman that his best friend was in love with.

“Missandei was a slave,” explained Gilly, “since she was 4 years old. Until Queen Daenerys freed her.”

Sam remembered reading letters to Maester Aemon. News of Daenerys. Of how she was freeing slaves and refused to leave until their freedom was secured. Maester Aemon was proud of his great-niece. Sam could hear it in the tone of his voice.

“Is that true?” Sam asked Missandei.

“Yes,” answered Missandei earnestly. “Queen Daenerys ordered that the Masters of Astapor give me to her, as a sign of good faith when she bargained for the Unsullied. She set me free. And once she gained the Unsullied, she set them free and liberated the rest of Astapor.

Sam started to feel some respect towards Daenerys. Whatever she has done, ending slavery was a good and noble thing. Though there was one thing he had heard that bothered him…

“I’m not siding with slave owners, but I heard that she had hundreds of masters crucified. Is that true?” he asked.

Missandei’s face and tone became dark, though not at Sam himself. “She crucified one-hundred and sixty-three Mereneese masters. Because they had crucified one-hundred and sixty-three slave children and used them as mile posts.”

Sam gaped in horror. Gilly gasped and covered her mouth.

“They crucified a hundred and sixty-three children?” asked a horrified and disgusted Sam.

“Yes. No doubt to taunt our Queen. She made sure to see every single one of the children before burying them. She would not have had the masters crucified if they hadn’t committed such a monstrous act.”

Sam and Gilly felt disgust for the masters. What they did was beyond foul. And Sam realized just how wrong he was about Daenerys. He assumed that she was unfit to be Queen simply because she had executed his father and brother. But he remembered Jon and Daenerys both telling him how she gave his father and brother a choice, even offered his father the Wall if he didn’t want to kneel, but they refused. Even Jon would have done the same. He had seen it with Janos Slynt.

Sam felt shame for his negative thoughts about Daenerys. He was still sad about his father and brother, but he could clearly see why Jon was in love with her. She appeared to be a compassionate and just woman.

Sam decided he needed to know more about Daenerys, and he has the perfect source in the form of his love’s new friend.

“Missandei, if you don’t mind, could you tell us more about Queen Daenerys?” Sam asked hopefully.

At this Missandei beamed. “It would be my pleasure.”

And so Sam, Gilly, and Little Sam spent the night listening to Missandei’s tales and stories about the Mother of Dragons and Breaker of Chains.

* * *

His eyes closed, the Night King meditated. It was almost time. Only two more days before they reached Winterfell. Those fools. They think they have a chance of defeating him. But he will snuff out any hope that they have. He will kill Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, and that foolish boy who was now the Three-Eyed-Raven. Then he will plunge the whole world into darkness. _‘There will be no dawn for men.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I guess not as short as I thought! This chapter was fun to write! I loved writing Benjen’s reunion with his family. Another thing I took the liberty of changing. Benjen did not reveal his identity when he saved Jon. Jon only remembered a cloaked man before he was unconscious. Benjen did not ludicrously stay behind. He took Jon to Eastwatch. And he has now given Dany Dark Sister! Dany has her very own Valyrian Steel sword! I can’t wait to write her using it!
> 
> My boy Theon has been inspired by Grey Worm. You keep going Theon. We believe in you.
> 
> Looks like Sam is starting to realize how wrong he was about Daenerys. Meeting Missandei and hearing her tale has really changed his perspective of Daenerys. He is starting to see why Jon loves her. Plus I liked writing Missandei spreading the good word about her Queen.  
And finally, the Night King himself. He is planning something very, very big. He will not be easy to defeat. He’s a brutal and masterful fighter, and he has a cunning and intelligence that rivals that of Thanos, Darth Vader, and Sauron. Let’s see if our heroes can end his reign of terror.  
Please review! Long ones are my favorites, but short ones are great too! Oh and great news! Chapter 10 will come out in only a few days! And trust me, you are all going to LOVE that chapter!


	10. A Targaryen Alone in the World is a Terrible Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The longest and most important chapter yet!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dear readers! Another Chapter is here! But first a special announcement. Today is my birthday! Another year older! This chapter is my birthday present to myself. And from you dear readers, you reading and reviewing this chapter will be a birthday gift to me! I want you all to enjoy this chapter and then let me know what you thought! And I promise, this chapter is going to be one that you will love! Why, you ask? Well, just read and you will find out!

Steel upon steel ringing out in the courtyard as two Valyrian steel blades clashed, Daenerys quickly took advantage and escaped her sparring partner’s attack – leaping to the side.

“Impressive, your Grace,” Brienne of Tarth remarked, pulling back to circle her foe.

“I could say the same for you, Lady Brienne,” the Dragon Queen observed, also circling. Easing her wrist, she twirled the great blade as she waited. Dark Sister felt perfect in Dany’s hand, fluid and graceful. Its slender blade designed for a warrior queen, it felt completely natural being wielded by another. Her ancestor Visenya Targaryen had carried this sword during the Conquest, slaying many an enemy of their House upon the field of battle. Dany was resolved to honor her ancestor by wielding this sword.

Her training with Arya had definitely paid off. Although Dany wouldn’t say she was quite a swordmaster yet – perhaps swordmistress was more apt - she definitely grew quite skilled at using her new weapon. Almost as if she was born to do this, as was dragonriding… simply in her blood.

Arya had made good on her promise to adept Dany’s strategy into a longsword. They had spent at least a few hours sparring and training with their weapons each day in the freezing cold of the inner courtyard, each time drawing a large audience, who quite enjoyed the spectacle. The Wild Wolf of Winterfell had felt Dany was ready to use an actual weapon and with Dark Sister, she had the perfect one that suited her strength and stature. Although it was still usually one-sided as the Queen still had a lot to pick up, Arya’s disarming of Dany grew harder and harder each time. Perhaps better training, perhaps the sword… perhaps both.

“Waiting patiently, Lady Brienne,” she taunted, halting in place and raising the sword in both hands.

Brienne of Tarth had watched as Arya trained the Dragon Queen, and she was immensely impressed with her progress… Such progress was far greater than she expected – an easy win perhaps out of the cards – so Brienne was left wondering if her asking the Queen if she could spar with her had been the wise choice. Arya would have laughed and mocked the other female warrior incessantly… had ‘urgent business’ not called her away.

“Your wait is over,” she finally said, lunging forward.

Daenerys breathed heavily as she matched Lady Brienne blow for blow. She had to admit, Brienne was an extremely talented swordswoman. And because she was much larger and stronger than Arya, Dany had to rely on her speed and small stature against Lady Brienne’s superior size and strength.

Strike after strike was dodged, footwork careful to avoid frozen puddles of ice. Such was to her advantage as Brienne, her all into the attack, nearly lost her footing on the ice – slowing her reflexes enough for Dany to place the tip of her blade against her neck, as Brienne poised to decapitate her. “Draw.”

Just like Arya, Brienne managed to disarm Daenerys multiple times. But Dany proved to be a natural learner, and she finally managed to actually fight Brienne to a standstill… if aided by nature. She smiled warmly, regardless.

“Very good, your Grace,” complimented Brienne. “You’re a quick learner. And your skill is impressive… especially your mind.”

“They say the mind is the most important organ, my Lady.” She clasped her hand. “Thank you, Lady Brienne,” Dany said with a warm smile of her own. “Though I doubt I will ever be as good as you or Arya.”

“Don’t be so modest your Grace. I’ve trained with many men over the years, and you have more skill than over half of them.” The thought of her early sessions with Podrick almost made her groan, though he had finally improved.

Dany blushed lightly. “Is that so?” she mused. “Perhaps Visenya Targaryen’s blood truly runs in my veins.”

The smirk of the Tarth warrior quickly turned to annoyed glare. Confused Daenerys turned to see what Brienne was staring at. It was the red-bearded Wildling… Tormund she believed was correct… walking to them with a flirtatious grin.

“Nice to see you again, Brienne of Tarth,” greeted the jolly Tormund.

Brienne said nothing, only turning away with an annoyed face – he finally learned her name, but was still quite annoying. Tormund just continued grinning. He then turned to the Dragon Queen.

“And it is wonderful to see you again, beautiful Dragon Queen.”

Regarding the compliment kindly, Daenerys had a feeling she’d like Tormund. While most of the Wildlings saw her as some kind of goddess for riding her dragon, Tormund was more relatable being a friend of Jon’s. Which meant that he was a friend of hers. “And you as well, Lord Tormund.”

Tormund laughed loudly, nearly falling over. “Oh, I’m not one of those petty kneelers, pretty Queen. Just a free man lookin’ for the good things in life. Good food, good fights, and good…” he trailed off, wagging hid eyebrows at Brienne… who seemed to be restraining herself from punching him in the gut. “But you must be as powerful as Jon Snow to be able to ride those mighty dragons. I swear when you saved us, you looked like a snow goddess from the sky.”

The Dragon Queen blushed madly at Tormund’s praise. The man had a knack to break down one’s unease. “Oh, I am no goddess. Just a Queen who hopes to make the world a better place for everyone. Also a mother trying to protect her children.” Who would unfortunately be only her two dragons now… and Ghost. The direwolf watched everything off to the side, resting his rear and ears alert like the best boy.

Tormund grinned. He could see why Jon Snow was in love with the small silver-haired Queen. She had a good heart and an inner toughness just like him… and was very pretty. _‘Much prettier than King Crow.’ _And she was a natural leader, just like Jon Snow.

Out of nowhere Dany found herself locked in the wildling’s arms, squeezed in a bone crunching hug. Ser Jorah, watching from beside Ghost, nearly trotted forward but was stopped by the direwolf, sensing his father’s friend meant no harm. Eventually, suffocating as it was, Dany returned the embrace.

“What was that for?” she asked, gasping for breath as they broke off.

“Don’t know my own strength sometimes,” he chortled. “To answer yer question, first for saving us from those icy fuckers North of the Wall. If you hadn’t come, we’d be walking corpses right now. And the other reason, I see the way King Crow stares at you. He’s fuckin’ one of us, so when you become ‘Queen Crow’ you’ll be one of us as well.”

“King Crow?” Daenerys asked in confusion.

“Jon Snow. I see the way he looks at you. He never looked at anyone else that way - not even poor Ygritte.” Jon had mentioned his past lover before on the boat… a tragic tale that nevertheless helped him become the man she loved. “It won’t be long before he wants to marry you and make babies with you.”

With that Tormund gave Dany one small hug, before going to grab a cup of sour goat milk. Hopefully the Dothraki bastards didn’t guzzle it down, though he wouldn’t mind fightin’ some of their touch ladies for it. That could turn out to be fun.

* * *

Arya was waiting in the Godswood for Sansa. Arya needed to have this talk with her. She was tired of Sansa sowing seeds of chaos and distrust between the pack. Sansa may have been acting like a selfish and ungrateful bitch, but she was still her sister. She was still part of the pack. _‘And the lone wolf dies. But the pack survives.’_

Finally, her sister arrived, her red hair shining through the winter snow. Sansa walked over to Arya who was sitting near the Heart Tree, waiting for her.

“Thank you for coming sister,” said Arya.

“What did you want to speak to me about?”

Arya sighed. Here it goes. “About Jon and Daenerys.”

Sansa’s face turned into a scowl. “Oh, you mean the foreign invader that our brother is blindly smitten with?”

“Sansa. That’s not fair,” chided Arya. “You haven’t even tried to get to know Daenerys. She came here to help us. She’s been kind and friendly. Why do you dislike her so much?”

“Are you serious?! Kind and friendly? She’s not here to help us because she’s a good Queen!” yelled Sansa. “She wants to take over the North! She wants power!”

“How do you even know that?!” replied Arya. “You don’t know her.”

“And I never will,” declared Sansa. “She is not one of us.”

“Not one of us?!” asked Arya incredulously. “Do you realize how much like Cersei you sound?!”

“Don’t talk like you know her! I’m the one who was stuck with her and her evil monster in King’s Landing for years! I know her!” shouted an emotional Sansa.

“Fine. But if you dislike Daenerys because she’s “not one of us”, then what about Lady Brienne?” implored Arya. “She’s not a Stark. But you trust her with her life.”

“That’s different,” insisted Sansa.

“Really? How?”

“She saved me. She’s protected me,” explained Sansa.

“But Daenerys came to help us against the dead,” reminded Arya. “Without her help, we would have no chance. And Jon told us that she agreed to help even before Jon bent the knee.”

“Jon’s in love with her. He’ll say anything to make her look good.”

“Sansa. Jon is a lot of things. But he is not a liar. He would not lie to his own family,” implored Arya. “And Bran trusts Daenerys. He knows everything. He would no if she can’t be trusted.”

Sansa said nothing.

“Sansa. Tell me something. Would you do anything to protect our family? To protect the North?”

“You know I would,” insisted a confused Sansa.

“Then why all the dislike and distrust to someone who came to help us protect the North? Someone who our brother loves?” asked a pleading Arya.

Sansa shook her head. “Robb also fell in love with a foreign woman.”

Arya looked at Sansa. “Don’t tell me you think she deserved to die.”

“No! Of course not!” insisted a shocked Sansa. “What those monsters did to her was horrible! But Robb broke his oath to marry her. And that eventually led to his death and mother’s death at the Red Wedding. And the deaths of a lot of good Northmen.”

Arya sighed. She knew Sansa was right on this at least. “Yes. Robb made a stupid mistake because he already swore he would marry Walder Frey’s daughter. Though, thank all Gods that we are not related that old fucker through marriage.”

Sansa shuddered with disgust at the thought of Walder Frey being her father-in-law. “We can both agree on that.”

“But Jon didn’t make any oaths to marry someone. And he brought someone who has a powerful army and dragons. How can that possibly be foolish or wrong?” asked Arya imploringly to her sister.

Sansa sighed. “I can see your point,” she said. “But our mother and brother died to win the North’s freedom. Why should we give that up?”

“But Sansa. They fought to win our freedom from monstrous tyrants like Joffrey and Cersei. Do you really think Daenerys is like them?”

“She could be. Her father is the man who burned our grandfather alive!”

“So we’re supposed to judge her for her father’s crimes? Even though she wasn’t born?” asked Arya. “You seem to be friendly with Tyrion Lannister. His father helped murder our mother and brother. He gave the North to the same traitors who betrayed our family. Should we judge him for that?”

Sansa said nothing. That was true. Tyrion was a Lannister, the son of Tywin Lannister, but she doesn’t dislike him or judge him for his family’s crimes.

“And Theon,” said Arya.

Sansa’s head shot up. “What about him?” she asked in a slightly defensive tone.

“Theon betrayed our family,” reminded Arya. Sansa opened her mouth to speak but Arya raised her hand to stop her. “Look, after what happened to him and what he did for you and what he’s doing for Bran, I’m willing to forgive him. But the fact remains that he still betrayed Robb. He took Winterfell. And you’re going to give a hard time to Daenerys, who has not harmed our family in any way, but not Theon who did?”

Sansa looked down. She did not really know how to respond to that. Theon saved her life. He helped her escape from that monster Ramsay. But it didn’t change the fact that he still betrayed Robb and took Winterfell from Bran. But he paid for it in a way no one should have. And he earned her forgiveness by saving her. But she was acting cold and rude to Daenerys who had not attacked her family while she was warm and welcoming to Theon, who while repentant and trying to make up for it, did.

The Wild Wolf sighed before placing a hand on her sister’s shoulders. “Look Sansa. Daenerys is not our enemy. She’s not a bad person.”

“I don’t know, Arya,” mused the redheaded wolf. “I trusted Cersei and look what that got me.”

“I know it’s hard for you to trust people, especially after all that you went through,” gently comforted Arya. “But if you continue acting this way, you’ll become no better than Cersei or Littlefinger.”

The Lady of Winterfell said nothing as she continued staring down.

“Sansa. Look at me,” ordered her sister. Sansa’s blue eyes stared directly into Arya’s grey ones. “Does our family, our pack, mean anything to you?”

“It means everything to me, sister,” insisted the eldest living child of Ned and Catelyn Stark.

“And do you consider Jon family?”

“Of course I do! He’s as much Father’s child as any of us!” declared Sansa.

“If you really do, then swear this to me,” pleaded the youngest daughter of Ned Stark. “Jon loves Daenerys. You know he does. She makes him happy. You know it’s only a matter of time before he marries her.”

Sansa could only nod her head, curious what her sister wanted her to swear. In the Godswood no less, where a vow made here is considered sacred by the North.

“Swear to me on our mother and father! On Robb and Rickon!” cried Arya, hoping the mention of their passed family members would compel Sansa. “When Daenerys becomes our sister by marriage, swear to me that you will not hurt her in anyway. That you will not oppose it. Swear to me that you will let Jon be happy for once in his life.”

Sansa was mortified. This was no easy promise. And if she made it here, it would be considered sacred. If she broke it, she would lose the trust of not only her sister, but her whole family. Sansa really had to decide. Was power truly more important to her than family? Did her desire to be Queen mean more to her than her brother’s happiness?

After a long moment of silence, Sansa sighed and then looked straight into Arya’s eyes. “I swear on our family that if Jon marries the Dragon Queen, I will not do anything to oppose it,” swore the Lady of Winterfell. “I swear that I will let our brother be happy for once in his life.”

Arya smiled at Sansa before hugging her. Sansa was a bit surprised but immediately returned the hug.

“I love you, Sansa,” whispered Arya. “You’re my sister and you are part of the pack. Jon loves you too.” Arya broke off the embrace. “Don’t choose power over us. I don’t want to lose my sister. Please make the right choice.”

With that, the Wild Wolf left the Godswood.

Sansa stayed behind. She had just sworn a vow to her own sister in the most sacred place in the North. Was Arya right? Perhaps she was being a rude bitch. Daenerys had not done anything to her or her family personally.

_‘But you must become Queen. It’s the only way you will ever be safe. You know all the other pretty Queens are lying whores.’_

Sansa shook her head. That voice in her head. Tempting her. She had always wanted to be Queen. She loved holding power. And she would be safe. But it might cost her family. Was it really worth it?

* * *

Jon sat down on the bed. He was sitting in what used to be Robb’s room. He just needed some time alone. His head in his hands, the White Wolf sighed. He desperately wanted to tell Dany the truth about who he is. He wants to so badly. But he still didn’t know who he was. His whole life he was Jon Snow, bastard son of Eddard Stark. Only, Ned Stark is not his father and Jon himself was never a bastard. But he didn’t know how to be anything else. Was he a Stark or a Targaryen? He did not know.

Also, what if the truth about him would hurt Dany’s cause? Jon himself would never attempt to take the throne away from Dany, but what about everyone else? Some people might want him to be in charge simply because he has a fucking cock. Others because they hate Dany for the stupidest and pettiest reasons possible. He loves Daenerys more than anything in the world. If he were the cause of her death, he would not be able to live.

_‘I just want to know… Who am I?’ _thought Jon.

Jon was interrupted by his thoughts when he heard a knock on the door. “Come in,” he called out quietly.

The door opened and it was probably the last person Jon thought of seeing right now: Theon Greyjoy.

“Oh, I’m sorry Jon,” apologized the Greyjoy prince. “I didn’t know you were here. I’ll just go.”

But as Theon began leaving, Jon called out to him.

“Theon, wait.”

Theon turned back to the dark-haired Stark.

“It’s alright. You can come in if you want.” Theon still wasn’t exactly Jon’s favorite person in the world, but he meant what he said to him on Dragonstone. He forgives him. And Theon came to help fight against the dead, to protect Bran.

Theon was surprised but also thankful. He knows he has no right to, but he wanted to be in the room that used to belong to his best friend and brother Robb. _‘The one I betrayed.’_

Theon closed the door and he took a seat in a chair across from the bed where Jon was sitting.

The two childhood comrades sat in a quiet silence. They used to be in here with Robb many times. The three of them were inseparable. But now it was just Jon and Theon.

“We’re all back in Winterfell again,” spoke Theon after a few moments in silence. “At the end of the world.”

“If only Robb, Rickon, Father, and even Lady Catelyn were here with us,” whispered Jon.

Theon looked down at that. He had heard what happened to little Rickon. That monster Ramsay got his hands on him, and shot him with an arrow. Theon felt a surge of rage. ‘_I wish I killed that bastard myself.’ _But with the rage also came shame. The way he took Winterfell and forced Bran and Rickon out. He resolved to make sure that Bran would survive.

“Theon. I know what you’re thinking. Rickon’s death was not your fault. It was that sadistic fucker Ramsay. And I made sure he paid for what he did.”

“I wish I could have been there to watch him die,” stated the last son of Balon Greyjoy. “When I was his slave, I felt that he could not be killed. That he was invincible.”

“I promise you he wasn’t. I smashed his fucking face into a bloody pulp,” remembered Jon. It had felt so fucking good. “I never liked killing or hurting people. But that freak, I enjoyed every single punch I threw into his face.”

Theon smirked. If he had been given the chance, he would have enjoyed it as well. He would have enjoyed every ounce of pain that was inflicted on that evil demon.

Theon sighed. “Jon, I know you probably don’t want to hear this…“ Theon took a deep breath before continuing. “But the things I did, I regret them completely. I’m sorry for everything.”

Jon gave a sigh himself before looking at his Greyjoy brother. “Theon, I told you on Dragonstone, I forgive you. And if Robb were here, I think he would forgive you as well.”

Theon just stared at Jon, touched by his words. Having the forgiveness of Jon and the others would be wonderful, but if he sees Robb in the next life, he hoped Robb could forgive him for all the things he did.

Jon felt very comfortable in the presence of his Greyjoy brother. So comfortable in fact that he could not believe what he was about to do. But he knows that Theon has nothing but respect for Daenerys.

“Theon,” called the White Wolf. “There’s something I am going to tell you. But first you have to swear to me that you will never tell anyone this. Only if I allow it.”

Theon gave Jon a confused look. “What do you want to tell me?” he asked.

“First you have to swear you won’t tell. Please. It’s important that no one else knows for now.”

Theon could tell that whatever Jon wanted to tell him was very important to him. If Jon trusts him with this, Theon will not betray that trust.

“Alright. I swear I will never tell anyone. Not unless you allow me,” swore the Greyjoy boy.”

Jon sighed. “I found something out. Ned Stark was not my father.”

That caught Theon by surprise. “What?”

“Ned Stark was not my father. He’s actually my uncle. My real father was Rhaegar Targaryen. And my mother is Lyanna Stark.”

“But didn’t Rhaegar kidnap and rape Lyanna?” asked Theon.

“No. It was all a lie. That fat fucker Robert Baratheon could not accept that my mother didn’t love him back. My mother and father were married in secret. But my mother died giving birth to me,” explained Jon. “She knew Robert would have killed me if he found out. So she gave me to her brother, Ned Stark, and asked him to protect me.”

Theon could not believe it. Jon, the bastard that Lady Catelyn hated so much, was no bastard at all. And if Rhaegar is his father, then that means he is related to Daenerys.

“Have you told Daenerys?” he asked.

“No, not yet. I want to tell her. But Theon, I don’t know who I am anymore. My whole life I was Jon Snow, Ned Stark’s bastard son. But Ned Stark is not my father and I am not a bastard. Jon isn’t even my birth name. Who am I? Stark or Targaryen?”

Theon looked at Jon for a few moments. Then he stood up. “All my life, I never know who I was. I always proudly proclaimed myself the son of Balon Greyjoy. But the Starks were my family as well. But I believed that I could never be a Stark. I always felt that I could only be one. Never both.”

Theon sighed as he looked out the window. “And because of that, I ended up making the worst mistake in my life. I betrayed the people who considered me family for a father that never gave two fucks about me,” tears formed in Theon’s eyes as he recounted the worst moments of his life. “I thought I could only be a Greyjoy and I ended up doing terrible things. And when Ramsay turned me into Reek, I felt that was all I could be. Vermin. Scum.”

Jon felt sympathy for Theon. No matter what he did, no one deserves to go through what Ramsay put him through. “Theon,” began the White Wolf. “You don’t have to…”

“No, I do,” insisted the young Greyjoy. Jon just simply nodded. “Even after I escaped from Ramsay, I still didn’t know who I was. I could never be a Stark after what I did, so I went back to my sister. I found a purpose with her, but I was still conflicted. I wanted to be the right kind of person.”

Theon then turned to face Jon, his bluish-green eyes meeting Jon’s grey. “But then a man who was like a brother to me, told me that he forgave me. And he told me that I didn’t need to choose. I’m a Greyjoy. And I’m a Stark.” Theon reminded Jon of the words he told him at Dragonstone.

“And it was then that I finally knew who I was. I am both a Greyjoy and a Stark. And I rescued my sister from my bastard uncle. And now I am here, to protect my Stark family at the end of the world. It doesn’t matter what my last name is, because I am Theon of the Houses Greyjoy and Stark.” The Greyjoy Prince declared proudly. Jon had to admit, he was impressed with Theon’s speech. Even when he was an arrogant prick, Theon always had a way with words.

Theon put his hand on Jon’s shoulder. “And that man who helped me realize who I am, I am going to help him. You do not need to choose. You’re not a Stark or a Targaryen. You’re both. You are a good man Jon. Your last name does not change that. You are still Jon. Be the good man that you have always been. Be both a Stark and a Targaryen. Be both a wolf and a dragon.”

Jon looked at Theon for a long while. And then he embraced him. Theon was caught by surprise before he returned the hug tightly.

Jon held his Greyjoy brother for a long time before releasing him. Thanks to Theon, Jon finally realizes who he is. What he is meant to be. And what he needs to do.

“Thank you, Theon. Thank you so much,” thanked the grateful dragonwolf.

Theon smiled warmly at his brother. “You’re welcome. Brother.”

Jon smiled. “Theon, can you do me a favor?” asked the son of Lyanna and Rhaegar. “Find Daenerys and tell her to meet me in the crypt.”

“Of course,” immediately answered Theon. Theon then patted Jon on the arm. “Good luck.”

With that Theon left the room. Jon stayed for a few moments though. Thanks to Theon, he now knew exactly who he needed to be. Who he wanted to be.

* * *

Daenerys sighed as she gently petted Drogon and Rhaegal’s snouts. ‘_My beautiful children.’ _As if they could hear their mother’s thoughts, both dragons purred contently before blowing warm air from their snouts.

Ghost wanted some affection from his mother too and nudged Dany on the stomach to get her attention. Dany giggled before reaching down to pet the snowy white direwolf. Dany never would have thought she could love another creature as much as her dragons. But Ghost was such a good boy who never failed to show Dany affection. And while Jon became distant, Ghost stuck by her all this time. With all of that, how could she not love him as much as her other children? Of course, that doesn’t mean her dragons want less affection from their mother. Drogon growled at his mother’s attentions being turned to the small wolf. Well, small compared to Drogon.

Dany gently scolded him. “Drogon, be nice to your new brother.” she chided. Drogon snorted in annoyance but he could never disobey his beloved mother. Rhaegal leaned his head down and gently nudged his wolf brother. Ghost put his paws on the dragon’s snout as a sign of affection.

Despite being much smaller than them, the two dragons took an immediate liking to Ghost. His smell was similar to that of Jon Snow’s, and their mother seemed to quickly grow to love him. It was still odd to accept him as a brother – big brother if Ghost’s barks had anything to say about it, since technically he was still older – but direwolves shared a similar magic and intelligence as dragons. Ice instead of fire. Oddly compatible to such an extent that the three of them seemed to be able to communicate clearly, though it appears that whatever they share with Ghost is between the three of them.

Dany smiled lovingly at her children. But then her smile dropped, and she felt a great sadness surging through her. The dragons and the direwolf could sense the sadness growing in their mother. They gently nudged her in an attempt to comfort her. Ghost whimpered as if asking Dany what was wrong.

“My sweet children. I love you all so much. I cannot lose you. I already lost my sweet Viserion. And now we have to put him down like a rabid monster.” The Mother of Dragons let out a few tears as she thought of her gentle Viserion, who was now a slave to the same demon that murdered him.

The dragons let out small shrieks of sadness. They missed their fallen brother. Flying doesn’t feel the same without him. And through their connection with their mother, the dragons could see what has happened to their beloved brother. He was now little more than a sadistic killing machine serving the one who made him fall from the sky.

Dany sighed as she continued showing love to her remaining children. “I will not allow anything to happen to you, my beautiful children,” declared the Khaleesi fiercely. “I will protect all of you until my dying breath. I will kill anyone or anything that tries to take you from me.”

The dragons nudged their mother gently, letting out rumbling growls that sounded much like a cat purring, only far louder. They both know their mother would do anything for them. Just as they will burn anything that tries to hurt her.

Ghost licked Dany’s face before he nudged his head into her stomach. Dany smiled. “You seem to have such an interest in my belly, sweet Ghost,” noted Dany.

The sound of footsteps had the three sacred creatures on alert, ready to protect their mother. But they soon backed down when they all noticed who it was. Their mother’s best friend, Missandei of Naath. Missandei was one of the few humans that the dragons had a liking to, and who could touch them without fear of getting ripped apart by their razor-sharp teeth.

Missandei approached Dany casually, unafraid of the three large and powerful creatures. “Forgive me if I am disturbing you, your Grace.”

Dany smiled warmly at her beloved friend. “You could never disturb me, dear Missandei,” assured the Breaker of Chains as she took Missandei’s hands in her own. “You can always come to me for anything.”

Missandei beamed as she squeezed her beloved Queen’s hands. “Thank you, your Grace,” said the translator. “I wanted to introduce you to a new friend of mine, if you don’t mind that is.”

“I would be honored to meet them,” said Dany. She then turned to her children. “I have to go now my sweetlings. Stay safe.” With that Daenerys followed Missandei back into the castle.

The three animals all stared at each other, the meaning in their eyes clear. They will protect their mother and father. No matter what it took.

* * *

Missandei led Daenerys to the room holding her new friend and her family. She knocked on the door three times before a voice called out “Come in!” Taking Dany’s arm with a smile and opened the door. Inside, Gilly relaxed on the bed while Little Sam played with toys, enjoying a moment’s calm.

“Missandei!” exclaimed the wildling as she stood and walked over to embrace her friend.

The translator laughed merrily, returning the embrace. “I hope I’m not bothering you.”

“Oh no, it’s alright. You’re always welcome.”

“Good, cause have someone I would like you to meet.” Embrace broke, she directed Gilly’s attention to the other woman in the room with them. Watching as her eyes widened in recognition. “Gilly, I have the honor of presenting Queen Daenerys Targaryen.” Normally Missandei would list the Dragon Queen’s long list of titles, but since she was only introducing her to her friend, she decided to just give her name. “Your Grace, this is my new friend, Gilly.”

Gilly looked at the silver-haired Queen in awe. So this was the legendary Mother of Dragons. Without a doubt, she was the most beautiful woman Gilly had ever seen – far greater than her plain features. Her striking Valyrian features gave her an ethereal and exquisite beauty. Her silver hair and her violet eyes. She had never seen anyone like her, and on top of everything this was also the woman who freed Missandei from slavery.

“Your Grace,” she finally managed to stammer. Gilly didn’t know too many courtesies, but she bowed her head in respect. “I am happy to meet you.”

Daenerys smiled kindly as she walked towards Gilly. “The honor is all mine, Gilly. Given all that I’ve learned, if anyone is a friend of Missandei’s then they are a kind and gentle soul.”

The Dragon Queen was kind – nothing like the evil caricature she had heard all over Westeros. “Thank you, your Grace.” Gilly then realized that she would like the Queen to meet her son. “Oh! Your Grace,” Gilly walked over to the happy child and picked him up. “This is my son, Samwell… we call him Little Sam.”

Leaning down, Dany’s eyes sparkled at the innocent little child. “Hello, little one,” she said as she moved closer to him. “Aren’t you just precious?” Little Sam smiled adorably as he reached his hand to Daenerys.

Her son was already smitten with the beautiful Queen. “Would you like to hold him?”

“Oh, may I?”

Gilly gently handed her son over to Daenerys. Little Sam immediately squealed as he started touching Dan’s silver hair. “You pwetty,” he whispered. “Aw you a god…ess?” he asked completely seriously.

The Dragon Queen giggled as he did so. “No, I am just a woman, little one. One that rides a dragon, but just a woman. At his wide eyes, she laughed merrily. “Oh Gilly. He’s absolutely wonderful!” Would Rhaego have been like that at his age? The thought threatened to spoil the happy moment with sorrow.

“Thank you, your Grace,” Gilly’s liking of the silver-haired Queen grew by the second. Remembering what Missandei told her, she asked “Your Grace, is it true that you ended slavery in Essos? And that you freed Missandei?”

Inwardly, Dany was glad for the distraction. “I did. I fought to end slavery so that the former slaves could have a better life. And so that no child would ever have to be born into chains.” A sigh left her lips. “I had opposition and it delayed my goal to reclaim the Iron Throne, but my people are far more important. They looked up to me and I could not abandon them.”

“That’s very kind of you, your Grace,” offered an amazed Gilly. “And very brave.”

“Thank you, Gilly,” said the Breaker of Chains, easing Little Sam to the ground. He waddled back to his few toys, but never kept his eyes off Daenerys.

Watching her son till he sat, Gilly looked back to Dany. “Your Grace, is it true that you are the Mother of Dragons?”

“I am.”

“How did you give birth to dragons?” asked Gilly in curiosity. She read – slowly and haltingly, but with pride that she could – about the dragons at the Citadel and had seen them flying over Winterfell. They were terrifying but also beautiful. How did this silver-haired woman bring those amazing creatures into the world?

“Yes! Dwagons!” Little Sam clapped his hands. Missandei merely leaned against the wall, having heard this plenty of times before.

She decided to simply tell Gilly the quick version. “When my dragons were eggs, I placed them on my husband’s pyre. And then I walked into the fire.”

A gasp came from the young mother. She walked into fire? How is that possible? “But how are you alive, your Grace? How did you not burn to death?” She voiced her thoughts out loud.

It was Missandei who answered. “Our Queen is the Unburnt. She is the blood of the dragon.”

“Fire cannot kill a dragon, Gilly,” explained the Mother of Dragons. “I walked into the flames and sat with the eggs though the whole night. And my dragons, my children, were born.”

“You aw god-ess!” Little Sam exclaimed, earning a blush from Dany.

Gilly was fascinated by the story. This Queen was no ordinary person. She can do amazing things that other people can’t. “My son is right. You’re like a goddess.”

On top of what Tormund had remarked to her, Dany found it amusing and endearing that the Free Folk, Dothraki, and many others saw her as a goddess. Certainly many in the Bay of Dragons and beyond did, especially with what Kinvara and the Red Priests were spreading. _‘One thing Tyrion actually managed to accomplish.’ _But Dany did not care about being a goddess. She only wanted to earn the love of her people… which now included Gilly and Little Sam… Sam… Sam Tarly.

“Is Samwell Tarly the father, Gilly?” Daenerys asked in curiosity.

Sharing a worried look with Missandei, Gilly knew that the answer was a lot more complicated than a simple yes or no. However, Gilly once told Sam that he was the father of her son and she meant it- he had been a father to Little Sam in every possible way.

“Yes,” answered Gilly firmly. “Sam is the father of my son.”

Dany’s face suddenly turned sad. “Gilly, there’s something you should know. Sam’s father and brother betrayed my allies the Tyrells. I fought them in a battle. They refused to bend the knee or go to the Wall. So, I had no choice but to execute them. I didn’t enjoy it, but it was necessary.” A sentiment agreed to by Missandei – both women had been hardened by death and suffering. Neither wished for it to continue, but the necessity of it in certain circumstances couldn’t be washed away by idealism.

But what surprised Missandei and Daenerys was Gilly’s answer. “Good,” she said in a cold voice. “I met his family many moons ago at Horn Hill. I didn’t really want anything to happen to Dickon, but Randyll Tarly was a horrible man. He deserved to die.

Daenerys looked at Gilly in confusion. “Why do you say that?” Gilly didn’t seem at all like a person who would be so callous.

“Sam and I traveled to Horn Hill before we went to the Citadel. I met Sam’s family. His mother and sister were wonderful and kind. Dickon was genuine and kind as well. But Lord Tarly was a horrible, cruel man,” recounted Gilly as she remembered her trip to Horn Hill. “He called me a ‘wildling whore’ and my son a half-breed bastard.”

It didn’t surprise Dany that such a hard man that chose dragonfire for both him and his son rather than bend the knee would act as such. “Oh, Gilly,” said Dany, “I’m so sorry he said those cruel things to you.”

“But that wasn’t the worst of it. I didn’t care about his insults to me. But he treated Sam horribly. He told him that he was a lesser man and a disappointment,” With everything Gilly said, Daenerys was rapidly losing any sadness from executing the old Lord Tarly. “Sam never would have joined the Night’s Watch if it wasn’t for his father. His father told him that if he didn’t go to Castle Black, he would take him out on a hunt and an arrow would ‘happen to strike him’.”

Missandei cursed under breath, something slaves called their masters while out of earshot. “What kind of father threatens his own child?” asked the disgusted translator.

“Men like Lord Tarly,” said Gilly.

For Daenerys though… a woman that had lost her child and would never be blessed with one again, imagining a parent willing to kill their own child utterly disgusted her. “Well, I have no more regrets of executing him,” said Daenerys. “I only wish that Dickon Tarly didn’t choose to join him.” Had Randyll stopped him, at least that would have given him some respectability.

“Sam and I have that in common. Our fathers were both horrible men,” stated Gilly.

“What did your father do to you?” asked Daenerys in a gentle tone. But Missandei put a hand on Gilly’s arm.

“You don’t have to say anything about if you don’t want to, Gilly,” comforted Missandei. “I know it was a horrible experience.”

“If it’s too difficult for you Gilly, then you don’t have to explain it to me. I’ll understand,” gently assured the Dragon Queen.

Gilly sighed. It was hard to talk about it. But the Dragon Queen was a kind woman. And Gilly admired her for everything she did. And she trusts her friend. “It’s alright. I trust her, Missandei. She’s a good person.”

“Take as much time as you want Gilly.” The Dragon Queen gently took the other woman’s hands in her own. Much as she did with Missandei while the translator had a hard time opening up about her past and feelings – freedom was… hard to get for those used to long lives in chains.

She took a deep breath. “I used to live North of the Wall, in a place called Craster’s Keep. Me and my sisters all lived with our father Craster. He supposedly was a trapper, but made his coin providing supplies and shelter to Crow rangers.” Gilly closed her eyes. “Well, let me be accurate. Actually he was our father and husband.”

“What?!” asked Daenerys. While she was familiar of the practice of incest in her family, she knows that even her family would not marry a parent to their child – even so, it didn’t seem to her that the arrangement was… entirely consensual.

Gilly confirmed Dany’s fears. “Yes. He forced us to marry him. He would beat us and rape us.” But there was far worse. “If we had daughters, he married them as well. And he would do to them what he did to us.”

So many horrible men and women in the world… so much depravity. But if he married his daughters… “What… did he do with the… boys?” asked Dany, dreading the answer. And the answer shook her to her core.

“He killed them, not personally but that was the end result.” It still haunted Gilly to this day. “When they were born, he took them out into the woods as offerings to the White Walkers. – bribes to keep himself safe. All his daughters suffered at least once from such… including me.” A secret she hadn’t yet even told Missandei, let alone Sam.

Dany was filled with so much anger and disgust. If he was still alive, she would have her dragons rip him apart… slowly. “Gilly, is he still alive? Tell me if he is and I promise I will get justice for you and your brothers and sisters.”

“No, your Grace,” answered the young mother. “There was a mutiny and he was killed by men from the Night’s Watch. Sam helped me and Little Sam escape from the Keep.”

Dany breathed a sigh of relief. While she had heard that this mutiny had killed Jorah’s father, at least that disgusting monster was dead.

“But the White Walkers were persistent,” continued Gilly. “One of them found us and he tried to take my baby. But Sam saved us. He stabbed the Walker in the back with a dragonglass dagger.”

“Sam the Slayer.” Dany heard the nickname banded about by Jon sometimes. Dany felt a surge of admiration for Sam. The man saved her dear friend Ser Jorah from greyscale, and he saved this sweet woman and her wonderful child from a demon who came to take the baby away to do Gods-know-what. Dany decided that she needs to reward Sam, again. But why would he even wish to speak with her? “Gilly. When I take the Throne, I have an offer for you and Sam. Tell Sam that if he wants, I will allow you and him to return to Horn Hill. If he wants, I can even reinstate him as Lord. Or if he wants to still be a Maester, I will make sure the Citadel accepts him back.”

This silver-haired woman was one of the kindest people she had ever met. “Sam will be very happy about this. I will tell him when we are in the Great Hall.”

Dany smiled and gently squeezed Gilly’s hands.

There was a knock on the door. The three women and the small child looked at the door. “Come in!” shouted Dany.

The door opened to reveal Theon Greyjoy. The young Greyjoy bowed his head in respect. “Forgive me, your Grace, if I’m interrupting.”

“Not at all, Lord Greyjoy,” reassured the Dragon Queen. “What can I do for you?”

“Jon wants to speak with you, your Grace,” explained Theon. “He asked me to come and take you to him, with your permission of course.”

That caught Dany by surprise. Jon wanted to speak with her? Alone? Would she finally know what has been causing him to be distant for the past few days?

“It’s alright, your Grace,” Missandei gently assured. She knew that her Queen greatly desired to have privacy with Lord Snow. Who was she to deny her Queen? “Go to him. Gilly and I will be fine.”

Daenerys looked at Missandei before turning to Gilly. Gilly simply nodded with a warm smile. Dany then made her decision. “Alright. Where is he?”

“He’s waiting for you in the crypts,” answered the Greyjoy prince. “Come, I will take you there.”

Dany gave one last smile to Missandei and Gilly. She also gently rubbed Little Sam’s head. The Targaryen Queen then stood up and took Theon’s offered arm. She then allowed the young Greyjoy prince to lead her to the crypts, where her love was waiting for her.

* * *

Grey Worm stood at the smiting tables where he and his Unsullied kin were fixing dragonglass spears together. Northern soldiers were retrieving Dragonglass axes, daggers, and swords. Some collected arrows for their bows, while the Dothraki grabbed freshly-forged arakhs coated with dragonglass. Nearby Gendry worked till the end to forge as many weapons as he could… especially on the one requested to him by Arya…

And the Hound was fixing himself up with some new armor. Grey Worm noticed the man struggling a few times and walked over to offer his assistance. “Do you need help?”

Sandor’s answer was blunt. “Nah. I fucking got it.”

Nodding, before Grey Worm could walk away, the Hound’s voice stopped him. “That kinky-haired woman you’re always with… the one with an ass to die fo - what’s her name?”

Grey Worm narrowed his eyes. Missandei was the most amazing woman he had ever met, and one of the kindest souls. If the Hound was going to insult her, he would spill blood. But he decided to answer Clegane’s question calmly – they were supposedly allies. “Missandei.”

“Ah, Missandei,” noted the younger Clegane brother. “A pretty name. And from what I have seen, she’s a fine woman.” Sandor said as he latched a vambrace onto his right arm. He had discarded his old worn out leather gambeson and had switched it out with a chainmail vest, leather sleeveless and a pair of steel vambraces that he was currently equipping.

Grey Worm relaxed at hearing that. Something he and the Hound could actually agree on, and he supposed the man was just generally crude. “Missandei is very good woman.”

“Same she is wasted on a man with no cock between his legs.” Sandor looked at Grey Worm.

There was a silence. “I would rather have no cock between my legs, than a face like burnt meat.”

The men nearby went quiet as Sandor and Grey Worm glared at each other; it was no secret that these two were two of the best fighters in Winterfell right now. If a fight broke out, who knew what the hell would happen. The Hound had brute force and raw skill, while Grey Worm had speed, precision, and discipline – one of the few Unsullied that could fight individually rather than as a group.

But the tension started dying down when Grey Worm smirked. “I make joke.”

At this the men in close proximity began to snicker loudly. Sandor himself grinned and pat the Unsullied on the back. “You may not have a cock between your legs… but you have bigger balls than half the cunts I spent my whole life with.” The younger Clegane brother smiles before going back to latch on his second vambrace.

Grey Worm, Sandor, Gendry and the other assembled men continued about their tasks; Sandor fixing his armor on, Grey Worm fixing spearheads to the shafts, and Gendry continuing to forge Dragonglass weapons as best and as quickly as he could. Grey Worm looked to the Hound; and a question filled his head, and the curiosity that made him human and not Unsullied couldn’t be held back.

“Why you here, Ser Clegane?”

He gave Grey Worm an incredulous glare. “I ain’t no fucking Knight… and what the fuck are you talking about?” Sandor asked as he continued to tie his vambrace on.

“I fight for my Queen and for Missandei… Unsullied fight for Queen. Dothraki fight for Queen. Northerners and Wildlings fight for Jon Snow. Little Wolf fight for Jon Snow. Vale I think fight for Jon Snow. Gendry fight… what does Gendry fight for?” Grey Worm asked with an arched brow as he looked at the young blacksmith.

“It’s obvious what the lad fights for. Its short, has brown hair and grey eyes, and a death list longer than a horse’s cock.” Sandor said as he gave Gendry a knowing smirk.

Gendry blushed lightly. “Can you not talk about her in the same sentence as horse cocks please?” he asked.

“Why does Clegane always act like… what is Westerosi word?” Grey Worm asked.

“Like a complete cunt?” was the Hound’s answer.

“Yes… like that?” Grey Worm asked.

“Well lad, if you had a face like mine, you would always act like a cunt too.” Sandor finished lacing up his vambrace and put on a pair of brown leather fingerless gloves.

“Scars do not make you a cunt. Joffrey never had any scars and he was the biggest cunt that ever walked the earth.” Gendry replied with a smirk.

On that Sandor completely agreed. “Aye… a bigger cunt there never was. Took me all I had not to break that little shit’s teeth.” Clegane smiled. But then his face turned hateful. “Only one who could match that little shit is my fucking brother – maybe Cersei.”

Cersei he knew, but of Sandor’s family Grey Worm knew not. “Bad relationship with brother?” the Unsullied commander asked out of curiosity.

Clegane scoffed. “That’s putting it lightly. That fucker is the reason my face is like this,” he said as he pointed to his burnt face. “Pushed my face into the fire just because I was playing with one of his fucking toys.” The venomous hatred in Sandor’s voice could not be mistaken.

Gendry looked away. He didn’t say anything because he knows the Hound was very sensitive about that, but he felt a great wave of sadness for him. For his own brother to do that to him. Suddenly Gendry’s childhood didn’t seem like such a pile of shit.

Given his history Grey Worm understood too. At least Unsullied were not cut by their own brothers.

“If I manage to survive this fight with those fucking corpses, I am going to go south, and I am going to kill him.” Any idiot would be able to tell that the Hound never meant anything more in his life.

“Unsullied understand. Masters of Astapor, Yunkai, Volantis, and Mereen… they were… as you say, complete cunts.” Grey worm said to the laughter of Gendry and the mood-improved Sandor. “Didn’t want to leave until all the masters were dead.”

“Well, I can’t say I blame you there,” said Gendry. “I would have wanted those pampered shits dead too.”

“Seem everyone hate pampered shits. Cersei seem like one.” Both companions nodded. “So what does Ser Clegane fight for?” Grey Worm asked again. “For vengeance?”

Sandor stopped and sat there, his hands resting on his knees as he looked around him, seeing Wildling and Dothraki children playing. Older Wildlings and Dothraki sharing drinks and laughing heartily, playful fights sometimes breaking out. Seeing Unsullied men preparing alongside Northern men, young and old. Sandor thought of what it was he fight for. Was it vengeance? No. If it was only that, he would be going to King’s Landing to kill his brother. At the end he could only think of one word. One word as he remembered his friends at the half-built sept. Septon Meribald’s words ringing in his head.

_‘It’s never too late to stop robbing people, to stop killing people and start helping people.’_

_‘Never too late to come back.’_

“… No lad. Not vengeance. Redemption.”

* * *

“It’s right through here, my Queen,” said Theon as he brought Daenerys to the entrance of the crypts.

“Thank you, Theon.” Daenerys thanked the Greyjoy boy.

“It’s my pleasure, your Grace.” He said with a small smile. Theon bowed his head before leaving.

Daenerys watched Theon leave before she descended down into the crypts where Jon Snow was waiting for her.

* * *

A chilly draft wailed through the crypts, a ghostly sound that scared Jon many times as a child. Now, it just felt familiar. Grounding him as he stood in front of the statue of his mother. She was said to possess a wild beauty that few other women in the North had, to be kind and compassionate. Many noble ladies considered mingling with the commoners beneath them, but his mother was beloved by all in the North, both noble and common. Jon sighed as he felt sadness creeping. His mother died giving birth to him, loving him beyond measure. Her last thoughts were of keeping him safe.

Jon realized just how stupid and fabricated the lies that his father kidnapped his mother were. His mother was said to be a fierce she-wolf, not one kidnapped so easily. But that fucking whoremonger wanted her for himself and so he painted her as a helpless damsel that was waiting for him to save her. Maybe Littlefinger had something to do with it too, wanting revenge on Brandon Stark. Perhaps he told him knowing that the hot-blooded Stark would rush to King’s Landing. Because of those lies, his mother and father were both dead. He was forced to grow up a motherless bastard. And Dany was forced to living in the streets with only her cruel brother to raise her.

As much as Jon still loved Ned Stark, he held some resentment towards him. He lied to him all his life, letting his wife to treat him like he was dirt on her boots, allowing her to poison Sansa against him. Allowed him to go the Watch, knowing that it was a dumping ground for criminals, and did not even tell him if his mother was alive or if she loved him. Jon closed his eyes tightly, warding away the tears.

The negative feelings Jon had about Prince Rhaegar Targaryen have pretty much all faded away. While he didn’t understand why Rhaegar annulled his marriage to Elia Martell – maybe Bran will be able to explain it to him better – Rhaegar truly loved his mother. Jon wonders what his life would have been like if his parents had lived. Would he have grown up as a Prince? Would he have had a life filled with love as he always wanted? Would he have been with Dany from the very beginning?

Hearing footsteps, Jon turned around to see his beloved Dany. Easing herself along the tunnel to find him, violet eyes sparkling. ‘_Gods, she is so beautiful’. _In her white winter coat, Dany looked like a true snow goddess.

Jon smiled lovingly as Dany approached him, Dany beaming back as she took his hand. Jon pulled her close to him. “Dany,” he murmured.

“Jon,” she replied, just now noticing the statue that Jon was standing in front of. It was a statue of a woman. “Who’s that?”

“Lyanna Stark,” he answered.

Dany heard the stories. According to the Usurper and his allies, she was kidnapped and raped by her brother. But from the stories, Ser Barristan told her, that did not seem like something Rhaegar would do. “I’ve heard stories about my brother. That he was kind and generous. That he loved to sing to the common people and give money to children. That the people loved him. But according to the Usurper, he raped her.”

“It was all a lie,” said Jon with anger in his voice. Dany turned to Jon with a raised eyebrow. “Robert Baratheon was a fucking liar.” He ran a hand down his face. “Rhaegar never kidnapped or raped Lyanna. He loved her. And she loved him. Robert could not accept that Lyanna did not love him, so he painted her as a helpless damsel. But Lyanna was a strong woman. She never would have let herself get taken.”

Dany was intrigued by what Jon was saying. And she couldn’t help but notice the passion in his voice when he spoke about Lyanna.

“Rhaegar and Lyanna fled to Dorne. They married each other in secret.” Dany was confused now. She never heard about that. Her brother was already married to Elia Martell. “Apparently, Rhaegar annulled his marriage to Elia Martell,” said Jon as if reading Dany’s thoughts. “I don’t really know how that went. But Rhaegar left Lyanna in the Tower of Joy, guarded by some of the best Knights in the Seven Kingdoms, including Ser Arthur Dayne. He left them there to protect Lyanna even though they could have saved Rhaegar at the Trident.”

Dany wonders why Jon was telling her all of this? Was it to validate her beliefs that Rhaegar was a good man? “Did Bran show you all this?”

“Aye, he did.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.” Jon walked to the sarcophagus, leaning upon it, eyes away from her. “Robert killed Rhaegar. And Ned Stark took some of his best men to Dorne. They killed the Kingsguard guarding the tower, only he and Howland Reed surviving.” He continued. Dany knew about that, though Viserys had claimed that the Northerners were cowardly fighters. “Ned found Lyanna dying in a pool of blood. Not because Rhaegar had raped her. But because she had given birth to a baby boy. Her son with Rhaegar.” That caught Dany by complete surprise. She had never heard about this. Rhaegar had a son with Lyanna Stark? What happened to him? Was he killed like Rhaegar’s children with Elia were? She still felt sadness when she thought of what happened to her poor nephew Aegon and niece Rhaenys.

But what Jon said next utterly shocked Dany. “She asked her brother, Ned Stark, to protect her son. She knew that Robert Baratheon would have murdered him if he found out. Before dying, she named the boy Jaehaerys Targaryen.” His eyes found hers again. “And Ned took the boy home, to raise as his bastard son, Jon Snow.”

A gasp fell from her lips, though soft… as if she was stunned into silence. Staring at Jon, dumbfounded. Great emotion welled in his eyes - as if begging her not to hate him. Dany did not know what to say... “How… how do you know this?” she finally managed to stutter.

Jon sighed. “Sam found a High Septon’s diary at the Citadel. And Bran saw it all. He saw the past. He saw my parents getting married and my birth.” Jon took Dany’s hands in his own. “But more than that, I know it in my heart Dany. I know it’s true.”

She regarded him anew, as if seeing him for the first time once more. Jon’s raven hair and grey eyes made it difficult to believe he was of Valyrian decent. But Dany moved closer to Jon, and when she looked closely… The curls in his hair. Viserys had those too, inherited from their mother. She cupped Jon’s cheek. The set of his jaw and cheekbones. They were not Northern. They were Valyrian. And also…

“Of course. That’s why Drogon allowed you to touch him. And why you could ride Rhaegal. They could sense the dragon blood in you...” Her heart beat out of her chest at the shattering revelation.

Jon cupped Dany’s cheek. “Dany listen to me. This does not change any of my feelings for you. I don’t care that you’re my aunt. I love you more than anything. And I still want to marry you, if you’ll have me.” Jon meant that. He knew about the Targaryen practice of incest, though Dany was not his sister – perhaps making it easier for him. And even in his Stark family there were instances of cousins marrying and of uncles marrying their nieces or nephews marrying their aunts. Dany is the same age as him. There was no issue with them marrying.

Dany felt tears in her eyes. This wonderful man just basically declared that nothing changed for him. He still loved her more than anything and he still wanted to marry her. Her nephew, a dragon as she was. Someone that actually adored her unlike Viserys. Gods, how could she have been so lucky? To enjoy such happiness after the shit life she held? She cupped her beloved’s cheek. “Blood of my blood,” she whispered. She leaned her forehead into Jon’s. “All this time, I thought I was the last Targaryen. I thought I had no more family.”

Strong hands gripped her waist. “You’re not the Last Targaryen.” It felt strange to him, but perhaps she’d teach how to be one.” We have been separated for so long but we’re here together now, my love. And I will never leave you alone.”

The Dragon Queen could not hold herself back anymore. She cupped Jon’s face and kissed him hard. Jon lovingly returned the kiss as he tangled a hand in her silver hair, his tongue tangling with hers. The two dragons continued kissing for a long while before the need for air broke them apart.

“Dany. I know that by law of succession my claim to the Iron Throne is stronger than yours. But I don’t care. You have fought so hard to get there all your life. You deserve it far more than I.” Not wishing to break their embrace by bending the knee, he merely stared in her eyes and cupped her cheek with one hand. “I will be happy to help you take it and become Queen. You’re the ruler Westeros needs. You were born to rule the Seven Kingdoms.”

_‘Oh, Jon_’. What her beloved said was true. Technically, his claim to the Iron Throne was strongest. But here he is giving it up for her. He truly loves her, and he truly believes in her. But she will not deny him the birthright that he deserves.

“Jon. All my life, taking the Throne was my goal. But I didn’t really want it so I could be Queen. I wanted it because I wanted a home. That was always my greatest desire – home. A little house with a red door and lemon tree.” It had been one of the stories they had shared on the boat, and a wistful smile formed on Jon’s face thinking of the tranquil life a little Dany must have had there. “But I finally found my true home. It’s with you, my love. I don’t want the Throne if you’re not there with me. I want you to be my King, my equal.” She kissed his chin, all care gone. It felt right, claiming happiness with the one person who would never compromise her goals. “I don’t care where we are as long as you’re with me. Because you are my home. But we both want to help and protect our people. Will you take the Throne with me and help me make the world a better place?”

Jon simply smiled tearfully and lovingly. “It would be my honor. And would you do me the honor of becoming wife? Not just as Jon Snow, but as Jaehaerys Targaryen?”

“Jaehaerys Targaryen…” It only made it more real for her… and by the gods Daenerys reveled in it. Loved it, loved him. “It would be the greatest honor of my life, Jaehaerys.” She would call him Jon in their private lives, but as rulers it sent a pleasurable shiver through her system thinking of using his Targaryen name.

The reconnected lovers crashed their lips together, kissing passionately with only the ghosts of House Stark to keep them company. Reaffirming their love.

“I love you Dany.” Jon whispered tearfully.

“And I love you Jon.” Dany whispered back.

In the crypts of Winterfell, Ice and Fire united once more. The spirits of a beautiful she-wolf and a handsome Dragon Prince watching with tearful smiles on their faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it took me longer than I expected. I was hoping to upload this on June 4th which was my birthday, but with the length of this chapter and me enjoying my birthday, I had to wait until now. I have to say, I think this was my favorite chapter to write so far. It’s definitely the longest and one of the most important!  
So we got to see Dany train with Dark Sister. And she got a new sparring partner, Brienne of Tarth! She even got a bear hug from old Tormund Giantsbane himself!  
Arya and Sansa’s conversation was fun to write. As bitchy as Sansa has been acting, she is still Arya’s sister. Arya loves her and wants her to stay as one of the pack. You know, writing that conversation has really changed my view on Sansa. I originally was going to just write her as a petty bitch, but this conversation… If I were Sansa I think I would take it to heart. I don’t know which way Sansa is going to go. Will she remain a loyal member of the pack and finally change her behavior? Or will her desire for power be too great and cause her to betray everything her family stands for?  
I bet no one saw this coming! Theon was the one who helped Jon with his identity crisis! Not Arya. Not Davos. But Theon! As you all know, I have a massive love for Theon and I want to make him an important character in my story. This was one way. Plus remember how Jon helped Theon with his identity crisis and told him he didn’t need to choose? Now Theon was giving Jon his own advice. And it worked! I’m so proud of you Theon! I hope you all enjoyed that scene!  
Had to write a scene where mommy Dany got to show her love for her precious children! I found it so cute to write Dany being mother to three extremely intelligent, magical, and powerful creatures. Creatures that could easily tear a human apart limb by limb. But with Dany, they turn into little boys that want mama’s love!  
Dany got to meet Gilly and Little Sam. Who knows? Maybe Gilly’s experience will help Sam realize what a good person Dany is.  
Grey Worm with the Hound and Gendry was fun too! Character growth is a marvelous thing, isn’t it!  
Finally, the most important scene yet. Jon has finally told his beloved Dany the truth. And Dany was surprised at first, but then elated to realize she is not the last of her kind. You see Dany has always wanted the throne. But not because she wanted to be Queen like Cersei, Margaery, or Sansa. But because she wanted a home. That is her greatest desire. Home. But she has already found it with Jon. So taking the throne alone would be meaningless to her, if Jon is not there with her. And Jon decides to embrace both sides of his family. More importantly he chooses to be with Dany. I loved writing this scene so, so, so much.  
Please leave me a long review! Tell me what you liked! Did you like Jon and Theon? Did you like the last scene? Oh and even though my birthday has already passed, since this was my birthday present to myself, I will consider everyone reading it and leaving a nice review to be a birthday present! Thank you for reading, my dear readers! Next chapter will be the calm before the storm finally hits.


	11. The Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An announcement is made, Jaime gives a gift to a friend, lovers spend their final hours together, high in the halls Jenny danced with her ghosts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Hello my dear readers! I know it’s been a while since I last updated. I am so, so sorry to have kept you all waiting. I’ve been busy with real life stuff. And the last few weeks, I was not feeling any inspiration to write. I was entering one of those states where I get so angry and upset by the fake season. Finding picture and articles with things I really hated or that stirred up painful memories. Like what happened to Dany in the fake season is still really painful to me. And I get really furious when I read something saying that Dany was always going mad or Jon got his happy ending. I hate it. So it was not that easy these past few weeks. But I am back! And I feel a lot better now. I regained my inspiration to continue writing! This chapter will be what we call “the calm before the storm”, hence the name. I think we all know what I mean by ‘the storm’. Now let’s dive in and see what our favorite characters will be doing on what may very well be their final night.

Jon sat next to Dany at the head table in the Great Hall. Also sitting at the head table were Sansa, Arya, and Bran. Grey Worm and Ser Jorah stood close to their Queen as protection. On the table to the right sat Tyrion, Jaime, Varys, and Missandei. On the table to the left sat Ser Davos, Brienne, and Lady Mormont. Theon stood between the left table and the head table with his arms crossed. The Great Hall was filling up as many lords and ladies took their seats. Tormund and many Free Folk were standing in the back along with some of Dany’s Dothraki bloodriders.

Jon and Daenerys had called this special meeting. They had decided to announce their betrothal. Their people had the right to know that their King and Queen were now strengthening the alliance through marriage. Jon and Dany agreed however that now was not the time to reveal Jon’s true identity. With the dead drawing closer, they did not need people arguing about who has the better claim to the throne.

Dany gently put her hand over Jon’s, intertwining their fingers under the table. Jon smiled softly as he squeezed Dany’s hand.

Once the final lord took his seat, Jon stood up. “My lords. My ladies. Thank you for coming. You’re all likely wondering why Queen Daenerys and I called this special meeting,” he said. With an encouraging look from Daenerys, “The Queen and I have exciting news to share with all of you.”

At this everyone’s faces lit up. Some let out gasps. Others had widened eyes. And some were murmuring What possible news could be exciting at the amount? Daenerys stood up and clasped Jon’s hand making sure everyone could see their joined hands.

“Queen Daenerys and I are proud and excited to announce our betrothal! Queen Daenerys has accepted my proposal of marriage and we shall have our wedding if we survive the dead!”

There was a long silence after the news was dropped. Not a creature stirred, information digesting slowly but surely among the collected Lords of Three Kingdoms and beyond gathered in the Great Hall of Winterfell. Expressions were mixed… some pleased, some bitter, while most just… stunned. Stark and Targaryen – Dragon and Wolf… it seemed impossible. How could fire and ice mix?

Arya and Davos beamed, as did Missandei.

Bran gave a tiny smile, glad his cousin finally pulled his head out of his ass and becoming the man he was meant to be.

Theon had a surprised look on his face. And it quickly changed into a proud smile for his Stark brother. He was embracing both sides of himself, just as Theon managed to finally do.

Tyrion sipped at his glass, more worried about the crowd than most. Jaime too was fearing the crowd’s general reaction. The bastard son of Ned Stark marrying the daughter of the Mad King, the man who had brutally murdered Rickard and Brandon Stark?

Varys tucked his lips between his teeth, expression otherwise neutral.

Many expressions dotted Sansa’s face, the young lady not knowing what to think at this point between her instincts and the oath Arya made her speak. She was tempted to scream at Jon and tell him what a stupid and terrible decision he was making. Marrying the daughter of the man who burned their grandfather alive and strangled their uncle? What could he possibly be thinking? But one look from Arya and Sansa made her decision to remain quiet. She would simply have to interrogate Jon in private. She knew there was a chance that Jon might want to marry the Dragon Queen. Littlefinger had warned her that both Jon and Daenerys were young and unmarried and that together they would be very difficult to defeat. Sansa is not sure if that would be a good thing or a bad thing.

And yet, it was the ginger wildling that first broke the silence. “HA HA HA!!! Only a fuckin’ fool would try to tame a Dragon Queen!” He stood, raising a horn of ale into the air. “A fool… or a fuckin’ King!”

With that, the Free Folk began cheering and yelling, raising their horns of ale into the air. As did several Dothraki.

Davos stood up and raised a glass towards the royal couple. “To Queen Daenerys and King Jon!! The Just Woman and Honorable Man who will rule wisely and well!”

Arya stood up and raised a glass too. “To my brother and my new sister! Welcome to the pack, Daenerys!”

Nearly everyone ended up rising from their seats, cheering, clapping, pounding the tables, and raising their cups to their King and Queen.

“To the White Wolf and the Mother of Dragons!!!”

“To Ice and Fire!!!”

“Our King and Queen!!!”

“To the union of the Dragon and Wolf!!!”

At the cheers Jon and Dany let out beaming smiles. Their betrothal was blessed. Once this battle with the dead was over, they could finally marry.

The celebration for the new betrothal continued with toasts being made and exciting chatter about the upcoming wedding. It was dawn when the celebration was ended by sinister news from Bran.

“The Night King is almost here,” he said which caused the Great Hall to be silent. “He’ll be here before dawn tomorrow.”

The cheerful mood of the Hall was now completely gone, replaced by chilling fear and dread of the impending doom.

Daenerys quickly stood up and addressed her subjects. “Everyone. Do not give into despair. Keep hope alive. We are all here together. The Night King can try to tear this castle down, but we will not let him do it without a fight.”

Jon smiled proudly at his love’s rousing words. Standing up, he issued the last orders for the day. “Go now and prepare. Rest and keep morale high. And if there’s anything any of you want to do, do it now. Dismissed.”

With that Jon took Dany’s hand and led her out of the Great Hall. Everyone else immediately stood and dispersed. Preparing for battle and making sure to use their remaining time to do something meaningful.

* * *

As night fell over Winterfell, the courtyard was full of people getting their armor put on, sharing drinks together, telling stories, and just spending time with their loved ones. Although everyone was having a good time, there was a universal feeling of dread that this night might be their final.

* * *

In the hearth of the main hall, the Lions of Casterly Rock, brothers Jaime and Tyrion Lannister, sat in front of the fire. The brothers wanted to spend these last moments together. They were close their entire lives. They both had a goblet of wine in their hands, doing their best to get warm and calm their pre-battle nerves. Although Tyrion would not be fighting, he had a breastplate beneath his clothes to protect himself just in case the dead manage to break through. He also had a dragonglass axe similar to what he had used at the Battle of Blackwater Bay.

Jaime had his Northern styled armor equipped, black and made of leather. He had his Valyrian Steel sword sheathed on his sword belt. The sword that once belonged to Joffrey, which he named Widow’s Wail. But like Olenna Tyrell, Jaime knew it was a terrible name picked by a little cunt. So, Jaime had changed the pommel to a red Lion, like Oathkeeper, and renamed it Lion’s Pride. Tyrion praised Jaime for the name choice, agreeing how terrible its last name was.

“I wish Father were here,” said Tyrion. Jaime turned to his brother with a confused glance. “I would love to see the look on his face when he realizes his two sons are about to die defending Winterfell.”

Jaime snorted before smiling amused. “That would be something to see.”

The wind whistled, as the brothers continued drinking and reminiscing.

“I remember the first time we were here,” recalled Tyrion, “The first time I saw this hall.” At his brother’s quiet “Mm”, Tyrion recalled how different he and Jaime were back then. “You were a golden lion. I was a drunken whoremonger. It was all so simple.”

Jaime disagreed. “It wasn’t so simple. I was fucking my sister and you had one friend in the world who was fucking his sister.”

“I was speaking in relative terms,” replied Tyrion.

Jaime understood now. “Do you miss it?”

“Of course I miss it,” answered Tyrion with an incredulous tone and look.

Jaime turned back to the fire. “Well, my golden-lion days are done, but whoremongering is still an option for you.”

Tyrion sighed. “It’s not,” said the youngest Lannister. “Things would be easier if it were.”

Jaime turned to his brother. Tyrion did the same. And then Tyrion raised his cup. “The perils of self-betterment.”

Jaime smiled amused and raised his goblet to Tyrion. They both took a drink. After a long sip Tyrion closed his eyes at the bitter taste. “You would think after thousand of years of practice, these Northerners would have learned how to make a good wine.”

“I hear they prefer ale,” replied his older brother. The lion brothers shared a look before chuckling.

When the chuckling died down, Tyrion’s face turned serious. He didn’t know for certain if he or Jaime will survive this upcoming battle. He hopes they will, but he has learned that sometimes things that they hope for don’t happen and that the opposite is just as likely. So if that is the case he needs to tell Jaime this.

“Jaime.”

“Yes, little brother?”

“I have something I need to tell you. This might be our last night, so I want you to hear this if that is the case.”

Jaime was curious what his little brother wanted to tell him. “Alright. What is it?”

Tyrion put his goblet of wine down next to his seat, before standing up and moving to be right in front of his big brother. “Thank you.”

Jaime narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Thank me for what?”

“For everything,” answered Tyrion. “If it weren’t for you, I never would have survived my childhood.”

Jaime’s face softened. Very deeply. “You would have,” he reassured in a soft voice.

Tyrion shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t have,” he replied as he moved a little closer to his brother. “You were the only one who never treated me like a little monster.”

Tyrion paused as tears came to his eyes. And he could see tears were forming in Jaime’s eyes. “You were all I had. You stood by me from the beginning. So thank you Jaime for being the best brother a dwarf could ever have.”

The tears finally left the eyes of the sons of Tywin Lannister. The two brothers embraced tightly. Jaime held his little brother firmly as he cried softly. He closed his eyes and held on to Tyrion, one of the few people in his life who Jaime completely trusted and loved.

The embrace lasted for a few moments before they loosened it. Tyrion and Jaime still kept their hands on each other as they both smiled warmly at each other. Two brothers whose bond was stronger than the castle they both called home.

The brothers completely broke apart as they heard the door open and footsteps approaching. It was Brienne and Podrick.

Jaime quickly stood up and made sure to pick up his cup. “My lady.”

“Oh, we didn’t mean to interrupt,” apologized the female warrior. “We were just looking for somewhere warm to--"

“To contemplate your imminent death,” finished the little Lion for Brienne. “You’ve come to the right place.” Tyrion invited Brienne and Pod to join them. “You want some of this piss? It’s not bad,” he said as he walked over to the wine to pour them a glass. “It’s not good either.”

“Thank you, my lord,” said Podrick as he walked over to take the offered cup. But he was stopped by Brienne.

“I don’t think that’s wise. The battle could start at any moment,” the Tarth warrior pointed out. Podrick lowered his eyes; saddened but not willing to disobey his trainer.

“Not even a little? Just to calm the nerves?” asked Tyrion.

Brienne finally relented with a sigh. “Half cup,” she ordered as she rolled her eyes. Podrick and Tyrion both smiled. Despite her order for it to be a half cup, Brienne didn’t notice that Tyrion filled Podrick’s glass to the brim. The two shared a mischievous look.

“And you?” the youngest Lannister offered Lady Brienne.

“No,” she declined, “I should try and get some sleep.”

“Do you really think any of us are going to sleep tonight?” asked the elder Lannister brother as he pulled a chair in front of the fire for Brienne. “Join us.”

Brienne looked a bit conflicted, but she relented. “All right,” she conceded. Jaime was right. Sleep would be very difficult. The blonde woman then turned back to the younger Lannister brother and took him up on his earlier offer of wine. “Just a bit.”

Tyrion smiled and poured a glass of wine for Brienne, this time making sure it wasn’t filled to the brim. He handed the cup to her when another person made his presence known.

“Well, well, well. Look at this little gathering.”

Tyrion turned to see the voice of the new arrival. It was his good friend, Ser Bronn of the Blackwater. “Ser Bronn of the Blackwater,” he greeted his old friend. “Would you like to sit with old friends by the fire as we await our ends?”

Bronn shrugged. “Well, I ain’t got anything better to do in this cold pile of shit. Might as well get warm and have a fucking drink. Pour me a glass you little shit.”

Tyrion smirked as he poured a glass of wine for Bronn. He filled it up to the brim and handed it over. Bronn immediately took a sip and his face molded into disgust.

“Those frozen fuckers call this wine?! It’s more like horse piss!”

“I’m sorry Bronn. I wish we had something much better but that’s all we have. You’ll get used to it after a few sips.”

“I fucking doubt that. But I’ll deal with it. And I am definitely staying near this warm fire,” said the sellsword as he pulled a chair next to Podrick, close to the fire.

Tyrion smiled. It was good to be able to sit with his brother, his old friend Bronn, and with his former squire who had grown into a fine young man. There was a time when he thought he would never see any of them again. And yet here they all were together.

“Well what have we here?” asked an elderly voice. The voice of Ser Davos Seaworth who entered the room from the door on the left that was close to where the group was sitting.

“Ser Davos, join us,” offered Tyrion.

“No, none for me, thanks,” politely refused the old knight who walked towards the fire. “I came here for this.” He stood in front of the fire and put his hands close to it. While he was doing that, no one seemed to notice Tormund entering the room with his big drinking horn. “I figured I could wait to die freezing my balls off out there or wait to die nice and warm in here.”

Tormund slowly walked towards Brienne, everyone now aware of his presence. “It could be our last world in this world, you know?” the red bearded wildling said to Brienne, a hint of desire in the tone of his voice.

Jaime took a drink out of his goblet as he watched the two interact, a slight feeling of jealousy in his stomach.

“Yes, well, I’m glad you are here,” said Brienne. When she noticed Tormund smiling brightly, she realized what she just implied and began stammering. “…Here fighting with us. Glad you survived Eastwatch.”

“Would you like a drink?” Tyrion offered the strong wildling. Tormund turned to the dwarf and shook his head.

“Brought my own,” he said showing his drinking horn. Tyrion raised the wine pourer before setting it back down on the table. Tormund then turned back to Brienne who looked away. The burly Northerner then noticed the older Lannister staring at him. Meeting his gaze, “You’re the one they call ‘King Killer’.”

Jaime nodded, amused at the way Tormund called him by his infamous name. “I’m sure someone does.”

“They call me ‘Giantsbane’,” revealed Tormund. “Want to know why?”

Without waiting for an answer, Tormund unceremoniously pulled a chair next to the fire and sat down. “I killed a giant when I was ten,” he recounted. Jaime and Brienne shared a look and were actually impressed to hear that. But Tormund wasn’t finished. “Then I climbed into bed with his wife.” At this Davos turned his head towards the burly wildling. Bronn leaned forward in his chair and took a sip from his cup, already liking this story.

“When she woke up, you know what she did?”

“Let me guess,” said Bronn. “She tried to crush your fucking tiny form with one finger and you somehow managed to kill her as well.”

Tormund laughed. “Not even fuckin close!” the burly Wildling leaned forward with a big grin on his face as he revealed the next part of his story. “She suckled me at her teat for three fuckin months. Thought I was her baby.”

Everyone looked at Tormund as if he had grown a second head. Bronn burst out laughing, spilling a bit of wine on himself. “That is the craziest fucking thing I have ever heard in my life! You are one tough fucker, there’s no denying that!”

Tormund chuckled loudly as he raised his horn to Bronn. “And that is how I became so strong. Giant’s Milk.”

With that Tormund opened his horn and began gulping down the contents. Very noisily. And also very messily, spilling quite a bit on himself. Not that he cared. Jaime and Brienne watched him with awkward faces. Jaime turned to his brother and saw an awkward face on him as well as they watched the tough Wildling gulp down his drink.

As he was finishing, Davos said with an uncomfortable face, “Maybe I will have that drink.” He moved to go pour himself a glass.

When Davos sat down with his own cup, Tyrion rose and walked to the center. He raised his glass in the air. “Since we all have a drink, I would like to propose a toast. To Jon and Daenerys. Our newly betrothed royal couple. They will make a great King and Queen! A Just Woman and an Honorable Man! If we survive this, may their reign be long and prosperous.”

Davos quickly raised his own glass. “To King Jon and Queen Daenerys!”

Tormund raised his horn. “To King Crow and His gorgeous Dragon Queen!”

Pod raised his glass. “To the King and Queen.”

Brienne decided to indulge in this, for she had grown an immense respect for Daenerys and for Jon. “To King Jon and Queen Daenerys.”

Jaime was a bit reluctant but a look from both his brother and Brienne led to him raising his glass. “To King Jon and to Queen Daenerys. May they be the rulers my sister failed to be.”

Bronn however did not raise his glass. Tyrion noticed. “It’s disrespectful to the King and Queen if you do not join Ser Bronn.”

Bronn scoffed. “They aren’t here. What they don’t know won’t hurt them. Why should I care?”

“Well,” began Jaime, “She could have fed you to her dragon after you shot it down.”

“Uh… good point,” said Bronn. He raised his glass. “To the Dragon Queen and her Wolf King.”

Everyone then took a sip out of their cups as they finished the toast to Jon and Daenerys.

* * *

Outside on the battlements, the Hound sat alone, a flask of wine in his hand. Sandor didn’t have much hope that they would win this battle. _‘There’s too many of those dead icy fuckers. And those Walker cunts are stronger than my fucking brother. We’re all going to fucking die.’ _ Sandor took a sip from his wine flask.

He was soon joined by Arya Stark. He didn’t expect that the Wolf girl would want anything to do with him. He would never admit it, but he missed her. He was glad she managed to survive on her own. He could tell that she had grown stronger.

“Mind if I sit down?” she asked.

Sandor looked to the side for a moment before leaning his head, inviting her to sit next to him which she did. “Don’t need to ask for permission. It’s your fucking castle.” Clegane handed his wine flask over to Arya.

Arya grabbed the wine flask and took a sip.

“Seen you getting cozy with the Dragon Queen, girl,” the Hound blurted out, surprising Arya. “What’s that all about? Thought her mad fucker of a father burned your family.”

Narrowing her eyes, Arya knew the statement hit a sore spot. “Daenerys… she’s not her father.” At the Hound’s raised good eyebrow, she grew a bit irritated. “It’s true.”

“Sure, girl.”

The young warrior crossed her arms. “She hasn’t done anything to my family. She’s kind and she’s a lot like me – one of the few who doesn’t think little of my decision not to be a lady.” In a sense, they bonded over that even with Dany far more feminine than Arya could ever be. “Besides didn’t she save you and my brother when you went North of the Wall?”

Clegane turned to Arya and then nodded. “Aye. She and her dragons saved us before those icy fuckers got us.” He snorted. “Probably the only time in my life where I was thankful for fucking fire.”

Arya smiled. “She’s a wonderful person, you know. It’s hard not to like her once you get to know her. Besides, I’ve always wanted to meet a Targaryen warrior like my hero Visenya Targaryen.” That brought a thought to her mind. “Meeting Daenerys, makes me think a lot of those stories of mad Taragryens were all a fucking crock of shit by petty, jealous men.” Dany was the least thing to mad… ruthless perhaps, but Arya was the last person who could judge someone for being extreme in the pursuit of justice.

Sandor chuckled. “So you were always a fucking dragon lover? Not surprised there, little Wolf.” He snatched the wineskin from Arya and took a swig. “And it looks like you’ll be calling her family soon enough. Your brother is fucking in love with her… gods, those looks he sends her way couldn’t be more obvious. Reminds me of how your sister used to look at that fucking little cunt Joffrey.”

Shuddering at the thought of Joffrey, Arya put him out of her mind. “I’m happy for Jon,” said the Wild Wolf. “He deserves happiness and I have never seen him happier than with the Dragon Queen.” Sensing there was little more to be said about the topic, Arya grabbed the wineskin and then turned to the man she once hated and wanted to kill. “How did you survive?”

Sandor turned his head to her. “You mean after you left me for dead?” The Wild Wolf nodded. Sandor sighed. “I guess there ended up being a Maester behind that fucking rock. I don’t remember how long I was there. But an old Septon found me and he and his people saved me. And I stayed with them.”

Arya looked at the Hound in surprise. “You stayed with them?”

“I didn’t have anywhere else to fucking go. And I needed to recover. Besides, I did end up liking that old Septon. He was a good friend.” Sandor’s thoughts turned to the kind Septon Ray who saved him and treated him with kindness. Few had ever treated him like a man instead of a beast like his brother.

“Where are they now?”

Sandor’s face turned sad. Something that caught Arya off-guard. “They’re all dead. Some fucking cocksuckers who had left the Brotherhood slaughtered them while I was looking for wood to build a fire. They hanged my friend from the sept that we were building.” His face showed a painful expression as the memory of Ray hanging from the Sept came to his mind.

Arya looked at the Hound with compassion. What she did next surprised even her. She put a hand on Sandor’s shoulder. “I’m sorry Sandor.”

The Hound was surprised at Arya’s kind gesture. But it was nice. “It’s fine girl. I got justice for them. I hunted those cunts down and killed all of them. Well, the last ones were caught by Dondarrion and that rum drinking cunt Thoros, but they gave me two of them.”

Arya nodded. “Well, you weren’t the only one who got your justice. I finally avenged my brother and mother and killed Walder Frey and his fucking sons.”

The Hound gave a chuckle before smirking. “I heard someone had done in those ugly cocksucking cunts. Figured it had to be a Stark. Must have felt good killing that old fucking lecher.”

“It did. Not the only name I crossed off my list.”

“Oh? Who else you managed to get?” asked the Hound curiously.

“Meryn Trant.”

The Hound turned to Arya with a shocked look. “Meryn fucking Trant?! Where did you find that fucking freak?”

“After I left you, I went to Braavos. I don’t know why he was there but he was. He was beating some little girls. I stabbed him in both eyes. Then I left him alive so he can suffer. And then I finally cut his throat.”

The Hound chuckled. “I would have loved to see that. Fucking cunt deserved to die like that.”

Arya smirked. “We can both agree on that.”

The two former traveling companions then fell into a comfortable silence.

“You really have changed,” said Arya breaking the silence. “You stayed with those villagers, joined the Brotherhood, went Beyond the Wall with my brother. I guess you finally stopped fighting for only yourself.”

The Hound turned to Arya. “Well, I did fight for you, didn’t I?” he replied softly.

Arya looked at the Hound with a soft look before taking a sip of the wine flask and handing it back to Sandor.

The two were then joined by Beric Dondarrion. Much to the Hound’s annoyance. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Might as well be a bloody wedding.”

Beric smiled before turning to Arya. “My lady,” he greeted politely. “It’s good to see you again. I’m sorry we parted the way we did.”

The Hound looked up in surprise before turning to Arya. “Wasn’t he on your list?”

“For a little while,” answered the youngest Stark daughter. “Not anymore.” Gendry is alive and well. She no longer has any anger towards Beric.

Beric however was not bothered at all. “That’s alright,” he said as he sat down on one of the barrels. “The Lord of Light has brought us together all the same. This is his moment. When light…”

“Thoros isn’t here anymore so I hope you’re not going to give a bloody sermon,” interrupted the Hound. “Because if you are, the Lord of Light is going to wonder why he brought you back nineteen times just to watch you die when I chuck you over this fucking wall.” Clegane pointed back at the wall with his thumb to emphasize.

Beric simply laughed quietly. Clegane was still the same old grouchy bear. Beric wished Thoros were here. He would probably have something witty to say to Clegane. But he was with the Lord now. Beric prayed that wherever Thoros’s spirit was, he found peace. Beric then held out his hand, silently asking for the wine flask.

Clegane hesitated for a second before shrugging. _‘Fuck it.’_ He threw the flask over to Beric, who caught it and began taking a sip. Arya then stood up and began leaving.

“Where are you going?” asked the Hound.

Arya turned back to face the two seasoned warriors. “I am not spending my final hours with you two miserable old shits!”

Beric and Sandor watched the Wild Wolf leave before staring at each other. They both shrugged. Beric finished drinking before chucking the wineskin back to Clegane.

“That girl is something special,” said Dondarrion.

A new voice chuckled. “Yes, she reminds me so much of her Aunty.”

The two men turned to see the newcomer. It was Benjen Stark.

“Lord Stark.” nodded Beric with respect.

“Lord Dondarrion,” Benjen nodded back. “You gentlemen mind if I join you?

“It’s your fucking cas…oh fuck it, have a seat.” Sandor pointed to one of the barrels. Benjen sat down and clasped his blackened hands in front of him.

“Why aren’t you down with your men?” asked Beric.

“Well, my family may have no problem with what I look now, but many of the men are unsettled with my new look. They may welcome me home and call me Lord Stark, but I can see the unease in their eyes. I can’t say I blame them. I am not a normal man anymore…I haven’t been for a long time.”

“Well, you are most welcome to join us,” assured Beric. “We haven’t been normal men ourselves in a long time either.”

Clegane took a swig of wine. “Something you and I can finally agree on Dondarrion.” He then turned to Benjen. He held out his wineskin. “Want some old man?”

Benjen smiled. “Why not?”

Sandor threw it over to Benjen who caught it and began sipping.

The unlikely trio continued to sit in the darkness of the night.

* * *

Sam made his way outside with his family’s ancestral sword: Heartsbane. Sam knew that Jon and Edd were right. He was not a fighter. He would be fooling himself if he actually thought he would be useful out in the field. Protecting Gilly and Little Sam in the Great Hall would have to be enough. But he could not let this Valyrian Steel sword go to waste. He knew exactly who to give this to.

He found the man he was looking for; Jorah Mormont was arguing with his cousin Lady Lyanna Mormont. The last two members of House Mormont were both clad in their bear armor; Jorah however had dragons on the pauldrons of his armor, signifying his loyalty to House Taragryen.

“We have all we need to win this war.” Sam overheard Jorah saying.

“I have trained my men, women, and children,” said Lady Lyanna. “I have fought before and I can fight again!”

“You are the future of our House Lyanna!” pleaded Jorah. “Please don’t risk your life so willfully like this!”

“I swore to defend the North until my dying breath. What kind of Mormont would I be if I hid behind my men as they fight and die?” the little Bear argued back to her only remaining relative.

“The spirits of our ancestors will never forgive me if I fail to protect you! I failed our house before. I brought dishonor to our family. I refuse to do that again!” Jorah shouted back.

“No cousin. I will not cower with those unable to fight… I am a Mormont of Bear Island… and that is something I am proud of!” declared the young Lady of Bear Island. “We may not be the largest or strongest house in the North, but we are not cowards. We are not weaklings. We are Bears! The Dragon Queen’s forces may be stronger and more numerous, but we Bears do not flee. We may only be a small house with less than a hundred men… yet here we stand!” Lyanna declared; her voice almost trembling as she finished.

Despite still wishing she would stay in the Great Hall where it would be safest, Jorah could not help but smile with pride at his little cousin. He could tell little Lyanna was afraid; indeed only a fool would not be afraid before a fight like this. But as a good lord once said; being scared is the only time a person can be brave. And Lyanna may be a young girl; not even in her prime… she was very brave. She was small and young, but she had the heart of a true Northern Bear. His father Jeor, her mother Meage, and all the other late Mormonts would be so proud of her; that their house lay in good hands.

“And yet here we stand.” Jorah smiled as the little Bear’s expression turned into a smile.

“Get to your posts,” the youngest Mormont said to her men that were waiting for her orders. Once they left, Lyanna dove into Jorah’s arms and he wrapped her in a familial embrace.

“Stay alive Cousin,” Lyanna whispered in the crook of his neck.

“You as well,” he smiled to his only living blood relative before pressing a kiss to her head.

“I wish you good fortune,” Lyanna smiled.

“Thank you, My Lady,” Jorah nodded.

The two bears broke apart; and as Lyanna went to check on her men and their preparations; Jorah noticed the approaching form of Samwell Tarly; carrying a sword that looked leagues too big for him to use.

“Ser Jorah!” Sam called getting the attention of the knight who already spotted him.

“Samwell… what have you got there?” the Bear Knight asked with a raised brow; Samwell wasn’t thinking about fighting, was he?

“It’s called Heartsbane,” answered Sam. “It’s my family sword.”

“You still have a family… a woman and a little boy,” Jorah pointed out.

“Yes. And I’d love to defend them with it… But I can’t really hold it up right, and a sword like this would be wasted on a poor fighter like me.” Sam gathered his breath as Jorah gave him a sympathetic look.

“Your father… the Lord Commander… he taught me how to be a man, how to do what’s right… and I know that this is right…” Sam told Jorah, the cold breath of the large man fogging up around them.

“It’s Valyrian Steel… I’d be honored if you would take it.” Sam held the sword to Jorah.

The Bear Knight took the sword and partially unsheathed it. The ripples along the edge of the blade; the beautiful craftsmanship of the crossguard and the hilt was unlike any blade Jorah had ever seen. The beauty of this sword made others pale in comparison; and here Samwell the last male Tarly was offering it to him to use on the battlefield.

He had forfeited his claim on Longclaw, the Valyrian Steel sword of House Mormont; but he would redeem his name to the spirits of his forefathers and ancestors by wielding the sword of House Tarly. To defend the peoples of the North, South, East, and West. A Shield that guards the realms of men like his father was in his final days.

“I’ll wield it in his memory… Jorah said; tears threatening to fall at the gesture that the offering of this sword entailed “… To guard the realms of men,” he smiled.

Sam smiled at Jorah’s words; touched at the sentiment behind them. Sam offered his hand to Jorah. Jorah clasped it tightly and both men shook hands with a respectful nod.

“I’ll see you when it’s through,” said Sam.

Jorah smiled and nodded his head. With one final nod, Sam left to go spend what little time they had left in peace with his beloved family.

* * *

The unlikely group continued to sit together by the fire in a comfortable silence. They all gazed at the flames as they crackled; As they all continued holding their drinks and contemplating both their past and the inevitable battle of their lives.

“It’s strange isn’t it?” the silence was broken by Tyrion. “Everyone in this room has fought the Starks at one time or another. And here we all are in their castle, ready to defend it. Together.” Everyone nodded at the irony of Tyrion’s words. All of them had either fought or served someone who fought against the Starks. And yet here they all are.

“At least we’ll die with honor.” Brienne declared as she held her head high. Pod slowly nodded in agreement; while Jaime only looked upon the blonde-haired warrior that he had so much admiration for. She was everything he had failed to be; while he was given everything on a plate, she had to work for it her whole life.

“I think we will live,” exclaimed Tyrion.

Needless to say, almost everyone laughed and snorted at that statement. Davos, Tormund, and Bronn were laughing the loudest. Pod had an amused smile on his face. Surviving a battle with massive hordes of the Undead? That was an incredulous thought.

“I—I do,” insisted Tyrion with a smile. “We have two dragons. We have the greatest army in the world. The best foot soldiers and the best mounted warriors. We have some of the best warriors in the world. And even without all of that, how many battles have we survived between us?” he asked before pointing a hand to Davos.

“Ser Davos Seaworth, a survivor of both the Battle of the Blackwater and the Battle of the Bastards.”

“Both without a shred of combat ability.” Davos replied; Tormund giving a loud hum of agreement to the Smuggler’s amusment.

“Ser Bronn of the Blackwater. Hero of Blackwater Bay and survivor of who knows how many fucking fights!” Tyrion pointed to Bronn.

Bronn smirked before raising his goblet towards his dwarf friend. “Aye that would be me. Let’s see, I have lived through… uh… you know I lost fucking count. But I’ve been breaking noses and cracking faces since I was your size.”

Tyrion smirked before turning to his brother, raising his goblet towards him. “Ser Jaime Lannister; Fabled hero of the Siege of Pyke.”

“Fabled loser of the Battle of Whispering Wood,” toasted the oldest Lannister with a playful tone before rising to refill his goblet.

“Hear, hear! Robb Stark really gave us a thrashing that day!” exclaimed the youngest Lannister as his brother walked over to the table to refill his goblet.

“I may not have liked the boy, but I will admit he was a damn good military leader. And his brother is looking to be an even better one. Perhaps this is my chance to make amends for all the wrongs I committed against the Stark family. Even if most of them wanted to cut my head off.”

Tyrion then turned to Brienne. “Ser Brienne of Tarth. Defeated the Hound in single--- Pardon me. Lady Brienne.”

“She’s not a ser?” asked Tormund before turning to Brienne with a dumbfounded expression. “You’re not a knight?”

Brienne shook her head. “Women can’t be knights.”

“Why not?” Tormund asked with a confused brow.

“Tradition,” answered the female warrior.

“Fuck tradition!” replied Tormund.

“I don’t even want to be a knight,” stated Brienne. Trying to convince herself that what she said wasn’t a flat out lie to herself and everyone present. However, the look Podrick was giving her was quick to let her know that her lie wasn’t to be taken seriously. Pod knew better than anyone there how much Brienne desired to be called Ser and not Lady.

“I’m no king,” stated Tormund with a grin. “But if I were, I’d knight you ten times over.”

Davos smiled at Tormund’s kind gesture. Even Brienne, who thinks Tormund smelled like a dead animal and had all the manners of a goat, couldn’t help but smile at the sweet gesture.

“You don’t need a king,” spoke Jaime. “Any knight can make another knight.” All eyes turned to Jaime, wondering what he was getting at. Jaime sat his goblet down on the table and smiled at Brienne. “Here, I’ll prove it,” he said, unsheathing Lion’s Pride and walking over to the open space; placing the tip of his sword against the floor.

“Kneel, Lady Brienne.” Jaime announced.

Brienne scoffed and rolled her eyes. He must be joking. Another one of his many jokes that he pulled at her expense. But when he said “Do you want to be a knight or not?” with the upmost seriousness in his tone; it dawned on her; he wasn’t joking. Brienne turned to Jaime who simply nodded his head to floor.

“Kneel,” he said simply. Brienne looked to Podrick and he gave her the slightest of nods and a small smile; his eyes silently saying, ‘Go on, you deserve this’. Without another word, the Lady of Tarth stood up; leaving her goblet behind as she walked over to Jaime facing him. The crackling of the fire was the only sound breaking the silence before everyone else stood to their feet for this moment.

Brienne slowly bent down to one knee; her left hand gripping the hilt of Oathkeeper and her right hand behind her waist. Jaime’s hand gripped Lion’s Pride as he raised it to Brienne’s right shoulder; softly placing the Valyrian Steel blade in her armored pauldron.

“In the name of the Warrior… I charge you to be brave.”

She had prover her absolute bravery countless times. Jaime raised Lion’s Pride to Brienne’s left shoulder.

“In the name of the Father… I charge you to be just.”

She had proved herself to be just, far more than he could ever be. He raised his sword back to her right shoulder.

“In the name of the Mother… I charge you to defend the Innocent.”

As Jaime said the words; Podrick smiled with pride as Brienne could barely register what Jaime had done for her. She was finally getting what she wanted for so long; recognition, respect, to be treated as more than just a large woman wielding a sword. She was a Knight, a defender of the Innocent, a protector of those who could not defend themselves.

“Arise Brienne of Tarth… A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” Jaime declared, smiling with pride.

As Brienne rose to her feet, she heard the silence break with the sounds of clapping. Tormund had a smile stretched across his face and clapped his hands like a bloody madman. Podrick and Bronn both began clapping, soon joined by Ser Davos; and of course, Tyrion raised his goblet to her.

“Ser Brienne of Tarth! Knight of the Seven Kingdoms!” he cheered.

As the clapping continued, she looked to Jaime; the simple nod he gave her was more than enough for her as she allowed herself to smile brightly. It took this final war between the living and the dead for her to become what she always wanted to be. Ever since she first picked up a sword and swung it with her strong arms.

She had finally become a Knight.

* * *

Relentless even after the alcohol downed with the Hound, Arya shot her third bullseye in a row. Shooting arrows into a wooden post in the granary rather than comprehend the threat of impending death barreling her way. Scowling, she loosened another arrow, grunting when it struck home yet again.

“I think it’s dead now.” Arya swiveled around, finding Gendry entering her little space. He had paused in the shadow of the doorway and watched her for a few moments, appreciating her form – the way she straightened her shoulders and arched her back when she drew the bowstring, brow furrowing in concentration as she took her aim and fired. She was a true warrior queen, a strong and wild she-wolf. He was so in awe of her.

Arya narrowed her eyes at his presence. “I know you’re there,” she said, blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes and aiming again – firing another perfect shot. As he began to walk towards her, Arya turned around and saw that he held in his hands the weapon she had asked for. “That for me?” she asked coolly, setting her bow down. Gendry nodded and gave Arya a small smile as he held the smooth staff out to Arya. She wanted to remain nonplussed, but she couldn’t help how her eyes lit up as she took it from him. Spinning the smooth staff in her hands, she tested its weight and grip, inspecting its quality. “This’ll work.”

Gendry grinned, glad that he managed to impress Arya. “Last time you saw me you wanted me to come with you to Winterfell,” he reminded the Wild Wolf. “Took the long road, but…” Gendry’s thoughts turned back to all those years ago. He remembered how Arya begged him to go with her. How he refused because he decided to stay with the Brotherhood. Fat lot of good that did him, sold to the Red Woman for black magic sacrifice. But all these years, he never stopped thinking about Arya. Where she was, if she was safe. He couldn’t explain the immense joy and relief he felt when he finally saw her again in the forges. She was still small and skinny, but she was no longer a girl with a plain face. She had grown into a beautiful woman with a heart-shaped face, her cheeks full, pink and generous lips, and gray eyes that sparkled under the moon.

Flicking the weapon with a fluid grace, Arya’s thoughts also turned back to that day. She didn’t know if she would ever see him again when Melisandre took him. Even when she was focusing on killing those on her list, she thought about him. Was he still alive? What did the Red Woman do to him?

“What did the Red Woman want with you?” she finally asked the young blacksmith.

Gendry was caught off-guard by Arya’s question. He hesitated for a moment - it was not a very pleasant memory. “She wanted my blood for some kind of spell,” he answered.

“Why your blood?”

He sighed deeply at that. She didn’t know who his father was – frankly he was still thinking himself lucky that Daenerys didn’t immolate him where he stood. “I’m Robert Baratheon’s bastard.”

At that Arya stopped spinning her staff around and stared at Gendry with wide eyes. He was the bastard son of King Robert?

“I didn’t know until she told me,” continued the only surviving Baratheon. “Then she tied me up, stripped me down, put leeches all over me.”

Arya couldn’t help but raise a jealous brow. She didn’t like the idea of Gendry naked with another woman… though perhaps it was a bit callous that the thought of him nude was the only the only thing she took from that. “And after? Did she let you go?”

“No,” he answered. “She was going to sacrifice me, kill me. She would have if Ser Davos had not broken me out and set me free.”

Making a quick mental note to thank Davos later, Arya didn’t know whether to steam in silence or to cry. She couldn’t bear the thought that she almost lost someone else she cared about. She set her staff down and surprised Gendry by hugging him. It took a moment to comprehend but he quickly returned the embrace tightly.

“I missed you,” said the she wolf.

The young stag smiled softly as he closed his eyes and held Arya. “I missed you too Arry.”

“Where’d you go?” she asked as they loosened the embrace. “After Ser Davos saved you?”

“I rowed back to King’s Landing - did a lot of rowing actually. I returned to the Street of Steel and I continued doing what I did best with my old master, Tobo Mott. He was getting old and he wanted someone to carry on his work, so I got to learn how to rework Valyrian Steel.” Gendry smiled with utmost pride.

“Wow… I’m impressed.” Arya smiled knowingly.

“And you? What did you do after we got separated?” Gendry asked.

“I ended up traveling with the Hound for a while. Then I went to Braavos and I trained with the Faceless Men – it wasn’t easy but I learned much from them. Killed a lot of people. Crossed a few names off my list,” she said bluntly.

Gendry watched Arya with a blank look on his face; part of him wanted to laugh it off as a joke. But with all that he has seen, he knows the world is a lot crazier than he first thought.

Arya decided to change the subject. To something far more interesting.

“Tell me… the Red Woman… was that your first time?” she asked.

Gendry raised a brow. “Well yeah. I mean I never had leeches put on my cock before that.”

“That’s not what I meant,” clarified the young she-wolf. “Your first time with a woman?”

“What?” Gendry asked with a confused tone. “I—I didn’t—I wasn’t with her.”

“Well what about in King’s Landing? Were you with other girls there? Before or after?” asked Arya as she took off her gloves.

Gendry scoffed and began stammering. Why was Arya asking him this stuff?

“You don’t remember?” she asked with a knowing look, staring right into his eyes.

Gendry scoffed. He had no idea why Arya wanted to know. But he would indulge her. “Yes, I was.”

“One?” she asked with a bit of a jealous tone. “Two? Twenty?”

“I didn’t keep count!” exclaimed the young stag incredulously.

But Arya could tell when someone was lying. She smiled as she moved closer to Gendry. “Yes you did,” she called him out on his bluff.”

Rolling his eyes, Gendry answered “Three.” He then turned to Arya and noticed she was watching at him with a seductive and hungry look in her eyes. He started to feel his breeches tighten. “Why do you want to know?”

Arya smiled mischievously as she walked closer to Gendry. “We’re probably going to die soon. So if this is my final night, I want to be with someone like that before it happens. I suppose I’d want it to be with someone I… care about.” Arya blushed, this was so unlike her… but she didn’t care. “My first coupling I mean… and you do care about me, right?” She bit her lip, hesitating.

Gendry was caught off guard. Does she want to…? With him?

“Arya…” But Arya didn’t let Gendry continue talking. She clasped his face and kissed him passionately. All his worries and doubts gone, Gendry quickly began kissing her back with fervor. Their tongues began dueling as they fervently began tearing off their clothes. Shrugging off their leather jackets, ripping their undertunics off, unbuckling and kicking off their boots, unwilling to give up one another’s mouths.

Once Gendry was shirtless, Arya put her hands on his chest and shoved him down onto the pile of soft flour sacks. Gendry watched her as Arya continued taking off her shirt. Gendry felt his cock harden at the sight of her naked body. Arya tossed her tunic aside and began pulling her pants off. Gendry noticed some angry red scars across her back. _‘Where the fuck did she get those?’_

But Arya was not in the mood for more talking. Impatient, she said, “I’m not the Red Woman. Take your own bloody pants off.”

Gendry smirked. Shaking his head, he quickly began untying his breeches and pulling them down. Arya did the same with her own pants. Smiling seductively Arya licked her finger before she slowly moved down on top of Gendry. Gendry laid back against the flour sacks as the pale form of the wild she-wolf straddled him.

Arya moved one hand to Gendry’s chest and the other hand on top of the flour sack. She then kissed him. His hard length moved along her creamy thigh. Arya liked the feeling of Gendry’s hard cock on her body. Plunging her tongue into his mouth, she slightly shifted so that his cock would penetrate her slick walls. When he finally entered her, the young lovers moaned as they broke their kiss. Arya moved both her hands to her stupid bull’s chest and began bouncing on his length. Gendry cupped Arya’s pale arse and moved one hand to her head as he fell back deeper into the sacks. Those girl in King’s Landing could not compare to this gorgeous she-wolf riding him. Her eyes closed and her mouth open as she let out a breathy moan, she was truly a sight to behold.

Feeling his stag’s blood rising, Gendry grabbed his she-wolf and roughly flipped her over so her back was against the sacks. Arya gasped as she felt herself no longer on top, her back against the soft sacks as Gendry now laid on top of her. He started pounding into her roughly. Arya moaned in delight. She loved it. She wrapped her legs around Gendry, her feet wandering aimlessly on his back. She then decided she wanted to taste him in her mouth again. She kissed Gendry roughly, biting on his bottom lip and sucking on his tongue. With surprising strength, she rolled them back over so she was on top while his back was against the flour sacks.

Both wolf and stag continued rolling around on the soft flour sacks, each taking turns pleasuring the other. One thought crossed Arya’s head before she continue to be consumed by passion. ‘_If you even thinks of leaving me after this, I will cut off your cock you stupid bull.’_

* * *

“Kessa…” Daenerys moaned, writhing atop the bed as Jon kissed his way down her body. “Kostilus ȳdra daor keligon..." Her hands dug into his back, silently begging. "Kessa... ñuha jorrāelagon."  
  
Growling against her skin, Jon slowly lowered his lips down the curve of her neck, intent on peppering every inch of her body with kiss after kiss. "Fuck, Daenerys... you're perfect." Gods... did her Valyrian speech ignite a fire inside him. Sucking her perfect nipples, trailing his tongue down her belly and into her naval, before long he was positioning his head between her legs. Dany's moans filled the room as she laid back down and moved her fingers through Jon's curls.  
  
The newly betrothed couple wanted nothing but to spend the last hours they had left with each other. And now that Jon had finally recovered from his identity crisis, they were making up for lost time together in their chambers.  
  
"Jon. My love." She had gone so long without someone to truly care for her - that time was long gone. Daenerys had found her home. "Avy jorrāelan." Suddenly she gasped at his look. His eyes shone with love and... hunger. "What..." Just as she spoke, her dragonwolf's tongue licked a slow strip up her slit. "Kessa... please..." Her hands dug into his hair, hard. Begging him to continue.  
  
Attacking her heat like a man dying of thirst, Jon couldn't fathom ever thinking they needed to be apart... she was his salvation, his home. Everything that the bastard boy had never thought he wanted. So primed by his touch, by their electric passion that steamed up their chambers even in winter, she came onto his face. Her soft mewls music to his ears. Leaving one last kiss on her cunt, Jon moved back up Dany's body until they were face to face. "And I love you Dany. So fucking much." He then kissed her with intense passion. His tongue plunged into her mouth as his cock entered her warm heat. Dany moaned as she kissed Jon back, clasping his head tightly.  
  
Mischievous thoughts taking over, Dany rolled Jon onto his back and straddled him. She grabbed his hands and pinned them to his sides. "You have displeased your Queen, Prince Jaehaerys." She grinned as his eyes widened at his name... his real name. Oh, she was going to use this again. "Leaving her alone these past few days. I am afraid you must be punished for that," she smirked evilly as she teased Jon, moving her cunt over his cock teasingly but not allowing him to enter.  
  
Jon groaned as his dragon tortured him with her teasing. He tried to break free, but Daenerys had surprising strength in her delicate dainty hands. "You are being cruel to me, my Queen."  
  
She smirked as she leaned closer to Jon's face, her lips only an inch away. "That's what you get my dragonwolf, for displeasing your Queen with your distance."  
  
Unable to resist any longer, she kissed him hard, biting on his bottom lip. She let go of Jon's hands as she moved them to his face. Her breasts pressed against Jon's chest, her nipples rubbing against him. Her wolf moved his hands to her pale, plump arse and squeezed her cheeks. While one hand stayed on her arse, the other moved towards her wet cunt and touched her. She moaned. 'Two can play this game, my love.' Dany moved one hand to Jon's hard length and grasped him tightly. He groaned at the feeling of his dragon's hand on his cock. Dany smirked playfully at him as she started stroking him, slowly.  
  
Jon couldn't take it anymore. He rolled them over, their limbs tangled in a sweaty mess, and pressed Dany against the soft covers. He kissed her and then he plunged himself into her heat. She let out a loud mewl. Jon continued pounding into her. They both continued kissing even as they both felt their impending climax rushing. All they felt as Jon's seed dripped on Dany's thighs and her walls was pure bliss.  
  
Rolling off of Dany, Jon threw the furs to cover them and gathered her into his arms. "I was such a fool for denying myself this. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me Dany. I love you so much. More than I have ever loved anyone."  
  
Sighing happily - one of supreme contentment - Dany stroked his cheek. "You have nothing to be sorry for my love. I always knew that you loved me. Just as I have always loved you." She pressed a kiss to his scar. "Nothing is more important to me than you. I love you so, so much."  
  
"I love you too..." Without delay, Jon held her tighter. Worried that if he let go he'd wake up back in Winterfell, a bastard boy of six and ten with only cold and death to look forward to.  
  
Slowly, Daenerys nuzzled his chest, willing whatever bad thoughts were brooding in his mind away. "You are my home Jon Snow. And I am never going to leave you."  
  
The two lovers kissed lovingly.

* * *

Everyone had returned to their seats before the fire, chatting amiably, keeping the conversation light. The hour grew late and the wine was nearly gone. “We’d better get some rest,” said Jaime, draining the last of his goblet.

“No, let’s stay a bit longer,” protested his little brother. Tyrion was having some of the best time of his life with this unusual group. He didn’t want it to end.

“We’re out of wine,” said Ser Davos, setting down the empty decanter and taking his seat before the fire.

“How about a song?” asked Tyrion. “One of you must know one.” Tyrion turned to his left. “Ser Davos?” Perhaps the smuggler knew some sea shanties?

“You’ll pray for a quick death,” declined the old knight. He may have gotten better at reading, but his singing was worse than a dying horse.

“Ser Brienne?” asked the half-man.

Brienne shook her head with a light smile; appreciating the way her new title sounded as it was official. But Brienne spent her entire life fighting and training, not singing songs.

Not noticing Bronn whispering to Podrick who was finishing his wine, Tyrion turned to Tormund. But the big beast of a man shook his head. Apparently drinking from a horn did not mean knowing any good foot stompers.

But as Tyrion leaned back into his chair, ready for a quiet and silent night awaiting death…

“_High in the halls of the Kings who are gone… Jenny would dance with her ghosts”_

Podrick and Bronn’s voices echoed through the main hall. Bronn was known to have a great singing voice but Pod… the young squire with the voice of an angel sang with his friend; Brienne and Tormund looking up in what looked like amazement at the hidden talent the young squire had been hiding from everyone, except Bronn apparently. Tyrion’s face dropped in equal parts sadness and awe as he realized the untapped potential of the loyal lad in front of him.

_“The ones she had lost, and the ones she had found… and the ones who had loved her the most”_

* * *

Sam and Gilly lay together on the bed in their chambers; little Sam cuddled between them as he slept soundly. As he looked into the soft eyes of the woman he loved; Sam knew he would do anything to protect the family he had left.

_“The ones who’d been gone for so very long…”_

Sansa sat with Theon in the courtyard; filling their stomachs with stew and just enjoying the other’s presence. The two hadn’t been that close growing up; what with Theon spending most of his time with Jon and Robb and as the ward of Ned Stark while Sansa spent her time preparing to be a proper lady. But their ordeal at the hands of Ramsay Snow had strengthened the bond between them. Theon had saved Sansa’s life and Sansa managed to help bring Theon Greyjoy out of the broken slave that Ramsay had turned him into.

Sansa smiled as Theon gave her a weary smile of his own.

_“… She couldn’t remember their names”_

Arya lay in Gendry’s arms as they stared into each other’s eyes; his fingers tracing the scars on her body, courtesy of the Waif back on the bridge in Braavos. Arya smiled at Gendry’s loving eyes and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips before tracing circles on his strong and muscled chest. The She-Wolf and her Stag.

_“They spun her around on the damp old stones…”_

Grey Worm marched with purpose, his helmet under his arm; the Unsullied already in marching formation; their officers shouting commands in High Valyrian. Quite a few helping the Northerners get ready for what was shaping to be the biggest battle of their lives. Missandei followed Grey Worm closely.

_“…spun away all her sorrows and pain”_

Grey Worm and Missandei turned to face each other. The translator could not help herself as she grabbed the Unsullied commander’s face and pulled him into a loving kiss. A wordless request of ‘come back to me’.

_“And she never wanted to leave”_

The Unsullied took one last look at the love of his life and gave her a nod and a rare smile before putting on his helmet and moving to join his men.

A silent promise of ‘I will come back.’

_“Never wanted to leave”_

Sandor and Beric continued drinking in their last moments of quiet. Benjen Stark having left them a little while ago, the two former adversaries tossed the wineskin back and forth; occasionally trading a laugh when one made a snarking comment about themselves or about Thoros or any of the people they had lost along the way.

“_Never wanted to leave”_

Benjen walked through the crypts, past the statues of his father and his big brothers. He stopped on front of the statue of his long dead beloved sister. Her hand permanently held out as he dripped hot candle wax into the palm before placing the candle there. ‘_You would be so proud of your son, Lya.’ _He prayed to the Old Gods that his sister, his fallen brothers and nephews, his mother, father and all the late Kings of Winter would be watching over them in this war that would decide the fate of the world.

“_Never wanted to leave”_

Jorah rode past the first trench; Heartsbane sheathed on his horse’s saddle; thousands of Dothraki screamers, Vale Knights and cavalry shaking the ground beneath the hooves of their horses. Even with the vastness of their army at the ready, Jorah still remembered the sight of that immense army; hundreds upon thousands of wights; commanded by the very Lord of Death and Ice himself.

He hoped they had enough men.

_“Never wanted to leave”_

A red hooded and cloaked rode steadily on horseback. The figure hoped she would arrive in time; that she would not be too late. This was it. The Great War was finally here. It was time. She would not fail now. She would play her part and atone for her sins by helping to save the world from the cold grips of Death.

_“Never… wanted… to leave.”_

* * *

Jon slipped on his boots as Daenerys fastened her dress yet again; the fire crackling in the background as they finished putting on their underclothes. But as Jon went to grab his leather gambeson; Daenerys beat him to it, picking it up with a smile on her face.

“I’ll help you, if you help me,” Dany said with a loving smile.

Jon gave Dany a loving smile of his own. “Alright.” He turned around and his love slipped the gambeson around him.

The closeness and intimacy of the two could be felt in the air as Daenerys helped Jon put on his brigandine; Jon relished in feeling her warm breath against him as she attached his gorget, her arms slipping around him as she fastened his sword belt around the waist. Dany relished in the feeling of his strong hands cheekily exploring her body as he slipped her beautiful white fur coat.

She could feel his strength as he fastened the breastplate around her chest. With a smile he Jon picked up Dark Sister and he fastened it in her belt. Dany did the same with Longclaw.

“You look like a true warrior Queen, Dany,” said Jon as he stared his beloved dragon up and down.

“And you look like a true warrior King, my love,” said Dany as she and Jon pressed their foreheads together. Dany noticed that Jon no longer wore his man-bun. He kept his curls loose. “You no longer tie your hair anymore, Jon.”

Jon smiled sheepishly. “Well, I figured that it’s time to embrace my Targaryen side and no longer wear my hair like the Starks.”

Dany smiled. She ran a hand through his loose curls. “Well, I like it better like this. You look so much more handsome with your hair like this.”

Jon grinned. “Thank you, Dany.”

“But always remember, my love,” said the Mother of Dragons as she took Jon’s gloved hands in her own. “You are both a Stark and a Targaryen. You are the best of both houses.”

Jon smiled as he squeezed Dany’s gloved hands.

The two stood in silence; fully armed and ready for the battle to come; Daenerys running her hands over the armored chest and toned arms of her handsome Northern King that she had come to love. Jon simply committing everything about his beautiful Valyrian Queen to memory; the shimmering glow of her gorgeous silver hair, the sweet aroma that followed her everywhere, the bright violet of her eyes. The pure love that shone in her eyes for him.

“No matter what happens… no matter what horrors he throws at us… we will face them… together.” Dany whispered to her Jon.

“No matter what happens… I’ll be there for you. In victory and defeat; if we live or die… we do so together,” he whispered back to the love of his life.

They pressed their lips together one final time. Daenerys cupped Jon’s face in her hands; pulling him close, never wanting to let him go. Jon squeezed his eyes tight; he never wanted this to end; holding his beloved Dany in his arms.

***BWAAAAAARM***

Jon and Daenerys pulled apart as they heard the horn blow. Both squeezing their eyes shut, hoping that it was only one blow.

***BWAAAAAAARM***

The horn blew a second time.

***BWAAAAAARM***

A third blast. They were here. The time had finally come.

Jon and Daenerys opened their eyes; violet and grey consumed with Targaryen fire as their desperate faces switched to the resolve of two warrior monarchs. Jon and Daenerys nodded to one another, spurning into action.

* * *

Tyrion stood on the battlements; a look of utter fear stretched across his face. He didn’t even turn to look at Jon and Daenerys when they arrived behind him. Jon and Daenerys heard loud marching coming from the horizon. Very loud marching. The Army of the Dead had finally arrived at Winterfell.

Jon and Daenerys turned to each other and nodded to each other as they quickly departed; heading to where Drogon and Rhaegal were nesting.

Tyrion remained on the battlements for a little while longer, watching in fear as the marching grew louder and closer. Grabbing his dragonglass axe, he fled to the Great Hall, hoping that against all odds he would survive the night.

* * *

Off in the distance, the snows fell harsher than everywhere else; even moonlight couldn’t pierce the veil of shadow that enshrouded the lands. Snow crunched and ice cracked under the thousands upon thousands of feet (both normal and giant), paws, spider legs, hooves, talons, and claws. Steel rattled as the hordes of the undead slowly advanced.

A lone rider came forward from the horde; riding the back of a dead black stallion; its lower jaw torn partly off, hanging from a few strips of tendon. The White Walker held in its hands a spear of ice; its blue eyes glowing in the darkness as it surveyed the lands before it. The Walker smirked. It had been millennia since the Walkers and their servants had walked this far south. Smirk turning into a scowl, the Walker’s icy blue hands gripped the reigns of his steed.

**SCREEEEEEEEEEEECH!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Raising its spear, a loud screech rang out as the Walker called forth its brethren. All marching forward on steeds of their own, hundreds of Walkers came out of the darkness riding on dead horses, the feared giant ice spiders from legend, dead elk and moose, on mighty wolves and bears, a few even rode on the backs of massive eagles and mammoths. Stretching as far as the eye could see.

The Great War has finally begun.

And as darkness fell and the cold winds rose, malevolent eyes watched from the shadows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Whew! That was a pretty huge chapter right?! I was so sure that it would be a bit shorter than my longest chapters. Instead it’s now my longest chapter! I’m amazed.  
So, Jon and Daenerys are now officially getting married! They had proposed in private but now everyone knows! Ice and Fire uniting! And given that Dany has made a bit of a good impression on many Northerners and vice versa for Jon and Dany’s people, everyone is celebrating! Too bad it couldn’t last long because the Night King was almost there.  
I absolutely despised the second half of the fake season. But I will admit I did enjoy when Tyrion told Jaime how much he loved him and how he survived thanks to him. Sadly it was ruined in the fake season because Tyrion was betraying Dany and trying to save that evil bitch Cersei. But I managed to put it somewhere far better. I hope you all liked where I decided to put it!  
So two of our favorite couples spent their last hours of peace making love and sharing kisses! Jon and Dany were making up for all the lost time! And I just love giving them their alone time! They belong together. They bring out the best in each other. And Arya and Gendry finally ‘did it’. And I can assure you Arya will not be using Gendry just to find out what it means to have sex with someone. As you all saw, she has no intention of letting him go.  
The dead finally have arrived. The Great War finally begins. Will Jon’s strategy work and help them win? We shall see? But someone else has plans of his own.  
This chapter is completely dedicated to my good friend Longclaw! It was his birthday! Sadly I couldn’t get this uploaded exactly on his birthday but better late than never right?! Happy Birthday my dear friend! I hope you enjoyed your birthday gift! And I want you to know that this story would not be half as good without your guidance. You are a wonderful friend and an amazing mentor. So this chapter is completely dedicated to you!  
Oh and also shoutout to my good friend Dakkaman. I got huge inspiration from him. The way he wrote his chapters that dealt with the heroes waiting until the dead arrive, they were absolutely fantastic. I modeled a few scenes after his. But all credit goes to Dakkaman. He wrote Jon and Daenerys exactly as I imagined them after Jon found the truth. There was absolutely no other way to write that scene where they hold each other before the dead finally came.  
Thank you all so much for reading. I hope you all loved this chapter! Again, I am so, so, so sorry it took me so long to upload. But I finally got my inspiration to write back and I completed one of my favorite chapters yet! Please leave long and detailed reviews of everything you liked from this chapter. Short ones are okay too! And constructive criticism is also welcome. See you all again soon!  
Can I ask you all a question? Am I doing a good job with this? Is this a good story? I just always get the feeling that my writing is terrible or not good enough. That my story isn’t very enjoyable. What do you all think? Am I doing a good job writing this? Is this story well written and enjoyable?


	12. The Battle of Winterfell Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Battle of Winterfell begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I am so happy that you all enjoyed the last chapter. Now it’s time for the Long Night to begin. Now I ask that you all bear with me. I have never written a battle before. I promise I will do my best to make it as epic and entertaining as possible, but it might not be top quality level. Luckily, I have my good friend Longclaw helping me, and he is an expert in military history and battle tactics used. So I believe that I will give you all a battle that is worth remembering. Let’s get into it!

As darkness crept inside the walls of Winterfell, men were scrambling to prepare. The dead were here. The battle was just about to begin. An ominous feeling of doom filled the entire castle, with many knowing that they will not all survive. And they were facing something worse than their worst nightmares could conjure up.

Theon Greyjoy was rolling Brandon Stark in his wheelchair to the Godswood. With them was Lady Alys Karstark and twenty archers from her House and Theon’s fellow Ironborn. They had one goal. Protect Bran as long as they could. Until the Night King arrives.

Samwell Tarly held onto Gilly and Little Sam as they headed towards the Great Hall. Gilly could feel Sam’s terror as his hands shook, and so gently squeezed his hand and gave him a loving look. Squeezing back, Samwell gave the love of his life a soft smile. He may not be an even-remotely good fighter, but he will die protecting his love and their son if need be. He stabbed a White Walker in the back before. If it comes to it, Sam will do it again.

“HURRY ALONG LADS!! KEEP EM COMING!!!” Ser Davos continued shouting commands to the archers as they hurried along bringing in as many dragonglass-coated arrows as they could. As well as fire to light the arrows up and make them even powerful. Davos watched as the lads hurried along. _‘Watch out for me sweet Shireen.’_

Jon and Daenerys stood on the high hills which gave them a good view of their army and Winterfell. Unfortunately, the darkness was so deep that it was nigh-impossible to see the Wolfswood. Jon held onto Dany’s hand. He clasped it tightly, and Dany returned with just as strong grip. Drogon and Rhaegal rested not far behind their mother and new father, awaiting their commands. Although it was almost impossible to see inn the darkness, when Jon turned his head to the side, he felt a powerful presence. He looked deeply into the darkness; his eyes narrowed. The dragonwolf could almost swear he saw blue eyes, something… or someone taunting him. Jon let out a small, but audible gasp.

“Jon?” The concerned voice of his love pulled Jon out of his stupor. “Is something wrong?” Dany’s violet eyes sparkled with concern.

“No,” he gasped. “It’s nothing Dany. I just had to gather my thoughts. Don’t worry about me.”

Although she felt there was more than that, the Mother of Dragons nodded to her beloved and continued to look over her armies. Her people. She never put faith in gods, but if there were any, she prayed they would lose as few as possible.

Despite feeling the chill from the cold night, Ser Jaime Lannister stood his ground right next to the newly anointed knight: Ser Brienne. They were in the center commanding a large portion of the Northern troops that were there. Arya Stark stood ground with Gendry, the Hound, and Beric Dondarrion standing close to her. Tormund Giantsbane led his fellow Free Folk who were also in the center. Leading the surviving stragglers of the Night’s Watch was Lord Commander Edd Tollet. Former First Ranger Benjen Stark stood next to him. Ready to be the Shields that guard the Realms of Men.

Grey Worm stood in front of his fellow Unsullied. They all had their dragonglass-coated spears and black armor with them. The Unsullied stood on the flanks of the center. Despite the grumblings of a few prejudiced, stubborn Northern Lords, the Northmen in the center gave their new compatriots nods of respect. Taking the time to talk and bond, many Northmen and Unsullied developed friendships and were proud to fight together.

Ser Jorah Mormont gazed into the darkness, astride his horse. The Dothraki and Vale Cavalry behind him, also astride on their horses. Ser Jorah took deep breaths to calm his nerves. If all goes right, they will survive the night. _‘Stay safe Khaleesi.’_

* * *

A lone figure came riding out of the darkness, face shrouded in a hood as the horse galloped slowly across the snowy trail. Nothing like one of those monsters, but Jorah put his hand on the hilt of his sword just in case. "Halt, in the name of Queen Daenerys Targaryen!" he called out. The stranger slowed to a stop in front of Jorah's horse, not a word said. Two delicate hands pulled the red hood back to reveal a woman of otherworldly beauty. Hair as crimson as the dress she was wearing, skin paler than the snows falling, her red eyes burned with fire.

  
"Ser Jorah of the House Mormont. It is an honor to make your acquaintance."

  
Clearly of the living, Jorah's tension slowly dissipated. "Forgive me, my lady. Who are you?" asked the Bear Knight - this could be a Lannister assassin.

  
"I am merely a servant of the Lord of Light. But those who know me call me Melisandre of Asshai." His eyes widened - he recognized the name. "I have come to aid the true King and Queen in the fight against Death. Now, if you would be so kind as to allow me to pass."

  
Jorah was not too sure about this woman, - her history preceded her - but right now they needed any help they could get. He nodded and moved to the side, allowing the Red Woman to pass. "You two, go with her," he directed two Mormont bannermen. "Make sure she doesn't try anything stupid."

  
As she rode her horse past the legions of soldiers ready for the battle against Death itself, Melisandre's eyes found Grey Worm's.

  
"Valar Morghulis," she declared.

  
"Valar Dohaeris," responded the Unsullied commander, eyeing her suspiciously.

  
Melisandre smiled before locking eyes with Beric Dondarrion. The two loyal servants of the Lord of Light merely nodded, no words needing to be spoken between them. This was their Lord's time. And they would make sure that the living prevailed.

  
  
However, Melisandre noticed Arya Stark and Gendry Water looking at her with undisguised loathing. Melisandre could not blame them, given the atrocities she had committed in the service of the false Prince - she had been so sure at the time... Much as she knew it wouldn't go well, Melisandre dismounted from her mare, needing to speak to the young She-Wolf. Slowly she approached. "Hello Arya Stark," she greeted. "I told you that we would meet again."

  
Arya scowled, voice as cold as the blizzard around them. "I remember. But don't think that I have forgiven you for what you almost did to Gendry."

  
Melisandre smiled. "I'm not here for forgiveness for I know that I don't deserve it. I'm here to provide the help needed against Death."

  
"Why should we accept any help from you?" asked Gendry, quieter but still filled with ire and hate. "When have you ever done anything good that didn't involve murdering someone?"

  
"When I brought Lady Arya's brother Jon Snow back after he was murdered."

  
Arya's hate-filled face melted into shock. The Red Woman who had been on her list, and nearly killed the man she loved was the one who brought her beloved brother back from the grave? "You… you brought Jon back?" she asked with a soft voice.

  
  
"Yes. He and Queen Daenerys are the Lord's chosen." Her cloak billowed out in the wind. "They are the only hope against the Night King, but cannot do it alone. And you, young wolf, must be ready to play your part."

  
Arya looked at Melisandre with a confused glance. "My part?"

  
"Yes. You have shut many eyes as I had forseen. Brown eyes, green eyes, blue eyes. But there are still many more eyes that you will shut. Forever."

  
Leaving Arya with this message, the Red Woman remounted her horse and spurred it through the Winterfell gates. And she could see a pair of eyes staring at her with nothing but pure hatred.

Ser Davos didn't know if his eyes were playing tricks on him. The Red Woman. The one who murdered his beloved sweet Princess Shireen. The one he swore he would kill if he ever laid eyes on her again. She was here. Why now? He wanted nothing more than to run her through with his sword. And yet, at this time there were far bigger concerns.

  
With great reluctance, Davos shouted the order to open the gates for the Lady Melisandre. He would make sure she understands that he will kill her when he gets the chance.

  
Melisandre smiled softly as the gates opened. She knew that Ser Davos wanted nothing more than to execute her and he was well within his rights. The memory of the burning Princess still haunts her deeply. What she had done to that poor girl was unforgivable, no matter what reasons she had. However, the King and Queen needed her help for the final fight against the Night King and his army. She needed to convince Ser Davos to stay his hand.

  
He approached, hand on the hilt of his blade. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you where you stand."

  
"Each corpse is another servant of Death, Ser Davos."

  
"My blade is dragonglass... you shan't get up with this in your back."  
  
Dismounting from the mare for the last time, Melisandre walked right up to Davos, meeting his eyes. "The Lord will make me answer for my crimes soon enough, Ser Davos, so such blood doesn't deserve to spill on your hands." His gaze still projected hate, but they wavered in resolve. "I shall not survive this war, yet we all serve a purpose to the living during it."

  
"Shireen is no longer among the living because of you."

  
A tired smile crossed her face. "Then I shall give no resistance to your blade after the war is won... I have done many things but I have never lied."

Davos hated letting the woman who murdered his sweet Shireen continue to breathe. But she was right. Now they had far bigger concerns. He would have to exact justice once the dead were destroyed once and for all.

Removing his hand from the hilt of his blade, the old smuggler stepped aside. “Right now, we need all the help we can get. But once this war is over, I will keep my promise and execute you myself.”

“There will be no need Ser Davos. I do not intend to survive the Great War.”

With those words, the Red Priestess began walking. Heading towards the Godswood.

* * *

Beneath the Heart Tree sat Bran in his wheelchair. Theon stood close to him. Lady Karstark, her archers, and the Ironborn spread out, standing armed and ready. They had multitudes of dragonglass-coated arrows, spears, and other weapons. Ready to protect Bran at all costs.

Theon gazed to the night sky, cold breaths coming from his body. He was afraid. They were about to face an enemy like no other. He doesn’t know if he will survive. But it didn’t matter. He will protect Bran to his dying breath. And after the terrible things he had done to him, it was the least he could do for him.

“Theon.”

Theon turned to Bran, who had called to him.

“I know you’re afraid,” said the last surviving son of Eddard Stark. “So am I. But as Father always said, that is the only time we can be brave.”

Theon gave Bran a small smile. But the smile died quickly as Theon’s thoughts turned back to when he betrayed the Starks. His family.

“Bran. I… I just want you to know…” stuttered Theon as he walked slowly towards Bran. “The things I did… I wish… I wish that I…”

“Everything you did brought you to where you are now,” interrupted Bran. “Back where you belong. Home.”

Theon looked at Bran with a soft gaze. He didn’t think forgiveness was possible. He doesn’t think he deserves to be forgiven. But here Bran was essentially telling him that he has forgiven him.

Bran meant what he said. He had been hurt when Theon had betrayed them. But he has seen all that Theon had suffered at the hands of the sadist Ramsay Bolton. No one deserved to go through that. But Theon broke free and rescued Sansa. He saved his sister from their monstrous uncle. He has proven himself a good man. Bran was glad to have another brother back home.

“Lord Greyjoy! Someone’s coming!” warned Lady Karstark.

Theon quickly turned around and gathered his bow and arrow. Made sure to aim properly.

The sound of snow crunching softly could be heard. But it wasn’t any dead men or White Walkers. It was a woman with red hair and red robes.

The woman came closer and held her hands up to show she was unarmed. “I’m not an enemy Theon Greyjoy.”

Theon continued pointing an arrow. “Who are you, my lady?”

The answer came not from her but from Bran. “She’s the Lady Melisandre of Asshai. It’s alright Theon. Let her pass.”

Theon relented and put down his arrow. He stepped aside and allowed the Red Woman to pass.

Melisandre made her way over to Bran who watched her intently from his wheelchair.

“Hello Brandon Stark,” greeted the Red Priestess. “It is an honor to finally meet the Three-Eyed Raven.

“And it’s an honor to meet you, my lady. You’ve arrived just in time. The Long Night is finally here.”

“Yes. The time has finally come. The Lord’s chosen must fulfill their destiny.”

“I have faith in my brother and in Daenerys. We may follow different gods, my lady, but our faith is in the same people.”

“Yes, my lord. And even those who don’t believe in the Lord can still carry out his task.”

Bran and Melisandre shared a mutual smile. As the cold winds grew stronger, the two magical beings waited for the events to unfold.

* * *

Arya could feel the cold in her breath and in the breath of those around her. Her fingers tight around her double-sided spear. Staring into the darkness. Waiting for the enemy to charge. The tension could be felt by all. Dread filled many of the soldiers. Many were shivering from both the intense cold and from the fear of the imminent threat. The dead could charge at any moment.

Arya breathed and steeled her resolve. This was her home. She had just finally reunited with her favorite brother. Her surviving family was together. She had finally gotten to see Gendry again and confess her true feelings for him. And she had gained a wonderful friend in Daenerys Targaryen. For as much as she loved Sansa, they never had a true sister bond. With Daenerys, Arya had found someone who was so much like her. Someone who can relate to her. Arya will fight to her dying breath to protect all of them.

“Fuck!” exclaimed the Hound. “I can’t stand all this waiting around! Where are those fucking dead cunts?!”

“Stand firm Clegane,” said Beric. “They are coming for us right now.”

“Did the fucking Lord of Light tell you that Dondarrion?” asked the Hound sarcastically.

“No, my friend. I feel it. The cold is getting stronger. And the darkness looms.”

What Dondarrion said was true. The cold was getting stronger. Despite having gloves on, Arya could feel her fingers growing numb. She felt the shivers coming from her body. And her breathing was getting heavier. She noticed that Gendry, Tormund, Jaime Lannister, and Brienne were also breathing, the cold air leaving their bodies. Arya feared that some would be lost to the immense cold before the dead even charged.

But then…

**SHRIEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!**

The demonic shriek caused even the normally stoic Unsullied to flinch. Others cried out in terror. A few fell onto their knees. The Cavalry had to calm the frightened horses to keep themselves from falling.

But that was only the beginning. Arya felt the ground beginning to shake. She could hear a rumbling sound. It started out faint but quickly grew in volume. It began to sound like thunder striking. And when Arya gazed back into the darkness, what she saw nearly made her heart stop. She had seen many horrors in her long years of traveling. Things that many couldn’t imagine. But they all paled in comparison to this.

From the darkness, thousands of blue eyes could be seen. And charging from the darkness were the wights that those malevolent blue eyes belonged to. Many of them had decayed flesh and were little more than skeletons. Even those who still had flesh were dulled out. They ran at inhumane lighting speeds, their demonic growls and shrieks filling the air.

Arya could see many of the men shaking in fear. Many were breathing and gasping uncontrollably. Some looked like they had pissed in their breeches. They were facing nightmares beyond their wildest imaginations.

“Hold your ground!” shouted Brienne as she drew Oathkeeper from her scabbard.

Jaime did the same with Lion’s Pride. “Don’t give in to fear! Send these fuckers back to the darkness from whence they came!”

Inspired by the two knights’ courage, thousands of swords were unsheathed. Gendry held on to his war hammer with both strong hands ready to crush any wights that came his way. Beric lit his sword with flames. The Hound lifted his axe and readied to destroy the dead monsters. Arya split her staff into two and spun the two blades in her hands, ready for battle.

Grey Worm fearlessly donned his helmet and struck his spear into the ground. His fellow Unsullied did the same. They got into position, forming a thick shield wall on either side, and firmly placing their spears in the ground. Ready to hold the line against the storm that has descended upon them.

Jorah unsheathed Heart’s Bane from his scabbard. The Dothraki drew their arakhs and the rest of the Cavalry drew out their swords and spears. The Battle has begun.

Ser Davos could see the dead beginning to come out of the darkness. It was time.

“Alright lads!! Get those arrows ready!” he ordered. The archers quickly obeyed, gathering their dragonglass arrows and normal arrows which they doused with fire. Bronn himself doused his arrows with fire.

“NOCK!” shouted Davos.

“NOCK!” repeated the lead archer as all the archers nocked their bows. Bronn held onto his bow with tight fingers.

“DRAW!” shouted Davos.

“DRAW!” repeated the lead archer. The archers all drew the arrows back, pulling on the strings as the sound could be heard through the battlements.

“LOOSE!!” ordered Davos.

“LOOSE!” Hundreds of flaming arrows flew through the night sky over the armies of the living and right towards the charging wights. Many were felled by the dragonglass and flaming arrows but that did not stop the vast majority from continuing to charge.

The wights were close. For the living, time seemed to slow down. The snowflakes mingled with the flaming arrows in the sky. Arya and Gendry met eyes, a flicker of love passing between them. Jaime and Brienne shared a quick look before gripping their Valyrian Steel swords. The Hound grunted as he readied to crack some skulls.

In a thundering boom the dead crashed against the living. Rotting bodies slamming into the shield wall that stretched out over a mile, the force of over a hundred thousand bodies behind them was so strong that it threatened to break the line. And all coherence disappeared into a maelstrom of hacking axes and sweeping blades.

It was quite clear that the wights had no need for skill. One large mass of writhing bodies, they simply charged. Setting themselves upon anything in their way, willingness to lunge and hack at the living - weapons, clawed arms, even their teeth. An unimaginable horror upon their gathered foes, many unlucky souls plunged in the slaughterhouse of death and gore. Truly a nightmare to be reckoned with.

  
  
Gritting their teeth, the men used all their strength to keep the dead at bay. Unfortunately, not all were strong in body and mind. The dead managed to drag more than a few unfortunate souls into a frenzy of teeth and blades, leading to a terrifying death. Luckily, if any wights managed to break through the shield wall, they were quickly slashed with blades coated with dragonglass that quickly destroyed them.

  
  
In the ensuing chaos, Arya used both ends of her staff to cut down any wights that managed to reach her. Her heart racing, the sound of wights growling and men screaming, the smell of blood filling the air, the wild she-wolf fought harder than she ever has. Through the corner of her eye, she noticed Gendry smashing a wight's skull with his Warhammer, truly the son of Robert Baratheon in both appearance and in skill.

  
  
With a mighty growl, the Hound buried his axe into the skull of a wight. Kicking it off, the mighty Clegane swung at another incoming wight, decapitating it, blood squirting from where its head used to be. The Hound continued to brutally smash and destroy any wights that came his way. "Is that all you got, you dead c***?!" Snarling, he buried his blade into yet another, fist flying to bash through the skull of a skeleton only seconds later.

  
  
Enjoying the rush of blood in his veins, Tormund hacked and slashed at the wights who managed to break in. The foul smell of decaying flesh mixed with blood drove Tormund to strike even harder. Despite his focus being on killing as many wights as he could, the ginger wildling could see all his fellow Free Folk fighting harder than ever before. The sound of their battle cries echoed in the night.

  
  
"LOOSE!!!" shouted Davos. His order repeated by the lead archer, the whoosh of arrows being released filled his ears, as hundreds of flaming arrows lit the sky. Davos was glad that they had a tight and organized formation, otherwise they would be risking killing their own men. The sound of blades clashing, of monstrous growls and snarls, and of screaming men could be heard even from the battlements. The old knight would not deny that he was frightened, but his resolve overcame his fear, as he ordered another volley of flaming arrows to shoot at the dead.

  
  
Grey Worm made sure to keep his fellow Unsullied in position. "Dovaogēdy!" he shouted in Valyrian. "Iōragon qopsa! ōregon se qogron!" The Unsullied may be facing an enemy like they have never faced before, but their fearlessness in battle was apparent. "Sumby dōros!" Their shields crashed together, spears presented in a bristling hedgehog of points as the wights slammed into them. The smell of blood and ashes in the air, the screaming of frightened men, and the sight of the blue-eyed monsters did nothing to deter the legendary Unsullied soldiers. Grey Worm continued leading his men, silently praying that most of them would live and that he would be able to hold his beloved Missandei in his arms again. "Ropagon arlī!" The Unsullied steadily withdrew under the weight of the attack - slow and without letting their formation crack.

  
  
Jaime hacked at an extremely decayed wight, destroying it. "Fall back!" he heard from someone... sounded like one of the Northern Lords he didn't remember the name of. The Northern force began to withdraw, stabbing and hacking, further and further back to Winterfell. They drew the wights in, blue-eyed monsters blinded to all but their mad instinct to kill all in front of them.

  
  
From the corner of his eye, Jaime caught a glimpse of Brienne brutally destroying a rather large wight. He could hear Podrick's grunts and knew he was doing the same. The taste of blood and sweat filled the eldest Lannister son's mouth. He's fought in many battles before but nothing like this. He would be surprised if he actually managed to survive this battle. There were so many of them. No matter how many they destroyed, it seemed that there were always more to replace them. 'Fuck... this has to work...'

  
It was quite clear that the living could not win by simply hacking and slashing at the wights that endlessly kept coming. The dead were pushing the living back, gaining more ground. Despite their fears, the Northerners and Free Folk in the center continued to hold them off as they slowly were pushed back towards the Winterfell gates. The Unsullied's thick shield walls on the sides prevented the dead from being able to attack from the sides, forcing the wights to continue charging to the center.

  
Jorah turned back to face the cavalry.

  
"Knights of the Vale! It's our time! Let's destroy these foul monsters!" Jorah's rousing words led to a raise in swords and loud cheers.

  
To the Dothraki, Jorah made sure to speak in their language. _"My fellow bloodriders! It is our time now! We ride into battle together! We will send these demons into the abyss. For Khaleesi!!"_

  
The Dothraki raised their arkhas into the air and began chanting, "KHALEESI!! KHALEESI!! KHALEESI!!"

  
Jorah then pointed Heart's Bane forward and led the charge. The strong booming sound of horse hooves charging could be heard through the night. The Cavalry charged from the side, Dothraki arkhas and dragonglass-coated swords slashing at any wights that they could. Riding forward, they managed to find a break in the ranks of the wights and used it to push forward. Continue to slash at any wights that they could, the Dothraki and Vale surrounded the dead on the sides and at the rear. Making sure to guard their rear in case any more wights appeared from the darkness, the Cavalry managed to compress the dead into crescent-shaped salient.

  
The wights were now trapped. They had a wall of infantry man at their front and a Cavalry surrounding them at their sides and back.

* * *

  
Jon and Daenerys watched as their brave soldiers managed to hold off the monsters and compress them into a crescent-shaped salient. Their strategy was actually working! Now it was their turn to do their part.

  
Dany turned to her intended. "It's our turn, Jon. Let's go save our people."

  
As she turned to walk towards Drogon, she felt an arm pull her back. The next thing she knew, Jon captured her lips in a passionate kiss, one that Dany eagerly returned.

  
Breaking apart, Jon looked into his love's beautiful violet eyes. "Be safe Dany."

  
With a loving smile Dany brought her gloved hand to her dragonwolf's cheek. "You as well, my love."

  
With steel resolve, the King and Queen marched to their dragons who immediately craned down to allow them to climb onto their backs.

  
With a mighty roar, Drogon and Rhaegal flew into the night sky.

  
But little did Jon and Dany know, a malevolent entity smirked sinisterly. Its only thoughts being _'And so it finally begins.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the battle has begun. The strategy for the living is based on the Battle of Cannae, where Hannibal managed to destroy the larger Roman army. Battle’s not over yet. Still got quite a ways.   
Big shoutout to my good friend Longclaw 1_6. Without his help and his guidance, this chapter would not be as good as I hope you all will find it. Thank you so very much Longclaw. For everything.  
I have two questions. The first one is what do you all think of Jaime’s new sword name, Lion’s Pride? Is it good? Should he have kept Widow’s Wail? Or change it into something else? The other question is which direction should I go with Sansa? I am having so much trouble deciding if I should have her become better or worse? So maybe you can help me by giving your opinions? Just one thing. Whatever I decide please be okay with it.  
I promise I will try and have Chapter 13 up soon. I finally got rid of my writer’s block! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please don’t forget to leave a long review! Short ones are okay too.


	13. The Battle of Winterfell Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Battle continues...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi everyone! Happy New Year! I am so sorry that it’s taken me forever to continue this story. I assure you that I never gave up on it. I intend to finish this story no matter what. It’s just that the last few months of 2020 were extra hard on me. My dad got into a car accident in October. Thank goodness that it wasn’t too serious, but he was hurt. And then in November, I got diagnosed with cancer. Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I’ve been doing chemotherapy to recover since the end of November but before that I had to get two biopsies and one of them was on my bone marrow which hurt like hell. And college got a bit packed in the last two months. So, I had very little time to write. And I was focusing on resting and recovering in December. 2020 ended pretty tough on me and my family. But I am so sorry that it’s taken me this long to update. I know that some of you already knew about my hardships and I wanted to say thank you for your support. The support of my friends means a lot to me and has helped me keep my spirits up as I continue fighting against this cancer. And a big thanks to my good friend Longclaw who helped me write this chapter so I could finally upload it. Without him, this chapter would not be uploaded now. I hope you all enjoy it!

_The tone of the great hall was subdued. Unlike the boisterous, warm atmosphere of the Stark rule that fostered a sense of comradery among highborn and smallfolk alike, it felt as cold as the icy winds of late autumn. For those remaining following the Ironborn attack, it wasn't easy to see why._

_The grey direwolf banners were gone, replaced by the flipped Rogar's cross in the blood-red shape of a flayed man. House Bolton ruled, and no one knew it more than the titular future Lady of the keep._

_"You're not eating, love?"_

_Gulping, she sat still upon the table at the front of the Hall. To her left sat her 'dear' husband, while to his right were her goodfather and goodmother. It should have been warm, like her dreams, but even the ice seemed preferable. "I'm not hungry."_

_A finger stroking her cheek, made her tense. "Oh? That's too bad. You'll need your strength for tonight." She dared to look at him, and while his smile was outwardly pleasant, his eyes said them all. Dark and malevolent, they promised an evening of unspeakable cruelty and seemed to relish in it._

_It was then she prayed for death…_

Memory unbidden, Sansa was drawn out of it as twin roars of the dragons shook the very stone walls of Winterfell castle. Many cringed, others looked curious. "Mama! Dragons!" Little Sam exclaimed, jumping up and down in his childlike innocence. "King and Queen save us."

Gilly too fearful to answer, it was the dark-skinned Lady in Waiting to the Dragon Queen that replied. "I've seen them do the impossible. Never bet against the side with dragons." Little Sam clapped his hands, alone among the unarmed civilians that dwelled within the great hall of Winterfell.

"At least one of us can keep out the fatalism," Tyrion mused from where he sat next to Sansa. He stroked his beard, trying to ignore the pangs to drink – while his impending death was staring him in the face, after being demoted as Hand he was resolved to face the coming storm sober. "Endearing in a way, most of us would need to be deep in their cups to let go of the cares of the world… never worked for me, though," he chuckled, though it didn't reach his eyes.

"Neither did it for me," Sansa replied, voice cold. Not even with the façade of amusement. "Nothing helped with that… not even power it seems. There will always be someone over you."

Tyrion shrugged. "The way of the world. Unless one is a dragonrider, there is always a leviathan that can crush a person beneath their feet." It was mankind's destiny to be subjugated, it seemed, even as it ran counter to Daenerys' intention to break the wheel. "For the longest time, it was my father."

"Your father was a mercy. At least he was personally above repute."

"You didn't know him as I did."

Sansa opened her mouth to retort, but the words died on her tongue. "Fair." More howls and screams penetrated the walls, these a mix of dying men and snarling demons. They were faint, as if far off, but loud at the same time. Only then did many of the smallfolk that weren't of the Free Folk realize just how many corpses were after them. Sansa closed her eyes, trying to think of a memory to warm her soul. A happy one of her family, of the days where the worst occurrence was Mordane being late to embroidery lessons. But they did not come. Only the darkness. Of Joffrey, of her father's death, of Baelish… of him…

Why did he still haunt her life after she killed him. After Jon and she destroyed his entire house?

"Ah, Lady Missandei, please join us." Sansa looked to her left to see the former slave lower herself to the ground, Tyrion separating them. "A beautiful lady is always welcome next to me."

Missandei wasn't amused. "Keep to decorum, Lord Tyrion. I wouldn't wish to see Grey Worm upset with you." Sansa had to remind herself that the Dragon Queen's friend was in a relationship with the commander of the Unsullied. How is that supposed to work?

Tyrion held up two hands. "I meant nothing of it, just a compliment." Missandei merely cocked her head. "But I regard my previous reputation as marring such gestures."

"Just be careful, my Lord." She looked over at Sansa. "Lady Sansa, I hope that you are holding yourself well as the night descends upon us."

It still made Sansa curious as to the obviously foreign woman speaking common tongue without an accent – as perfect as the most learned maester. Even the highest-born Dornish held thick accents. "I am fine," was her response, slightly cold.

Pursing her lips, Missandei leaned back. The sounds of battle roared outside the great hall, joined by the muffled prayers of the more pious smallfolk or the wails of fussy babes. "Your view on her Grace is misguided."

It took Sansa a moment for her to realize that the former slave was speaking to her. "Pardon?"

"You are cold as your lands to her Grace the Queen. It is completely misplaced."

"Missandei, please let's not…" Tyrion began, trying to diffuse the situation.

Sansa ignored him, narrowing her eyes at the other woman. "I am aware of her power and her desire for more, as am I aware of my brother – the King chosen by the Northern Lords – has knelt to her and rides alongside her. Oaths mean something to me, and I am no traitor." Did even she believe those words?

Was it treason to resist a foreign Queen?

Another image of Ramsay flashed before her eyes. It wasn't any noble reason she resisted such a Queen, wasn't it?

"Desire for more, you say?" Missandei looked ahead in silence, the uncomfortable sounds of chaos and death filling the void. "I have talked to many of the North, and they speak of wishing to be left alone, to be allowed to pursue their hopes and dreams without interlopers trying to subjugate them. No?"

Sansa held her head up proudly. "We've been betrayed, murdered, and brutalized by greedy men and women playing at the game of thrones. No more. Never again."

Missandei nodded. "Such as it was for the slaves of Essos. Thousands of years in bondage, never once granted the ability to control our own mundane tasks, let alone our destiny. Whipped, raped, murdered at the whim of others." Her eyes looked haunted, nearly as haunted as Sansa's. "Queen Daenerys lived our life in her own way, sympathized with us, fought for us. It was through her might that we have the choice of our destiny once more… and I hope that the Northmen can see she fights for their destinies as well."

With that, Missandei rose and walked back towards Gilly and Little Sam, leaving Sansa to digest her words.

* * *

Gritting his teeth, Jon held Rhaegal's spines with all his strength as the dragon roared and flapped his wings. Arcing in air, he plunged downward – tucking his wings back for extra speed. Wait, boy. Faster and faster they dove. Wait… The howling wind slammed against his face and hair, flecks of ice and snow stabbing at Jon's skin like a thousand tiny knives but he wouldn't give in. Wait… Below, the swarming mass of corpses grew and grew out of the darkness, illuminated by the wall of fire that seemed to ring it. A sea of ice blue eyes, malevolent against the snow. Remembering the cold, the freezing cold of their very presence, a pit of fire roared inside Jon. _''NOW, BOY! DRACARYS'!_

Wings suddenly extending, Rhaegal bottomed out barely thirty feet above the ground. His maw opened and a torrent of flame surged out to incinerated everything in a wide radius. Long decayed and bracketed by the elements, the bones and rotting flesh made for perfect kindling as the dragonfire turned them to ash.

"Pour it on!" Jon screamed into the void, knowing Rhaegal heard him through their bond. "Pour it on and don't stop!"

Rhaegal followed the direction of his rider, unleashing such a gout of dragonfire that it bordered upon physical pain, but still he attacked. The men and women defending Winterfell depended on he and Drogon, and as the hundreds of wights changed to thousands virtually pulverized to ash the burden upon the defenders lightened significantly by the moment.

A flash of silver glinting with the firelight caught Jon's attention. His heart clenched with pure horror. "PULL UP! PULL UP!" The dragonfire disappeared, Rhaegal banking sharply… followed by an ice spear shooting just feet above Jon's head. Close enough for him to feel the wave of air it created. "Away from here, my son! Away!"

As the green dragon gained altitude, Jon allowed himself to look down. The scar left by his attack run was quickly being filled by the rest of the army of the dead, corpses swarming over the blackened ground like ants. Already the teeming mass continued to throw themselves at Winterfell's defenders, winking lights of flaming arrows and the flash of steel and dragonglass stabbing forward as the jaw closed around the army of the dead. Drogon roared as he pulled up from blasting an equally long line of flame closer to the rear of the mass, winking upwards towards him just as the block of cavalry wheeled around Winterfell to assault the rear of the dead.

Everything was going according to plan…

And it scared him. Drew upon an instinctive worry from deep within him. Things never went according to plan, not with the Night King involved.

_‘Jon, my love…’_

Blinking, Jon looked over just as the two dragons burst through the clouds. The moon cast a bright glow upon the tops of the storm, illuminating Daenerys as she called to him through the dragonbond. _‘Dany, I have to find the Night King and Viserion’._

Drogon and Rhaegal beating their wings rapidly, they hovered in the air, allowing Dany to meet Jon's eyes across the gulf of the distance between them. Viserion… her gentlest child, stolen from her and turned into an undead slave at the command of a demon. _‘End his suffering, Jon, and destroy that evil cunt’._

Nodding, Jon stroked Rhaegal's scales… feeling the warmth even through his gloves. "Dive!" Both of them plunged through the clouds, Daenerys back towards the army of the dead while Jon stabbed through the blizzard itself. Immediately, the ice and snow enveloped him, the pain of the cold unimaginable. Worse than Hardhome, worse than the lake North of the Wall… worse than death itself.

That's how Jon knew he was here.

_‘Time to die, tonight.'_ Rhaegal felling his rider's resolve and roaring over the screams of the wind, the King of the Seven Kingdoms into the darkness.

* * *

The flock flew high. A swirling mist draped over them, blocking all vision beyond several winglengths ahead of them, but still they flew. Unaware of their location, but they knew they were where they needed to be.

All around, the malevolence seemed to freeze everything. It was pervasive. He was here, he was close. Only just a bit more…

Until a gout of blue fire enveloped them all…

"Ahh!" Normally his returns to the world of the living were tranquil, as if gliding from dream to reality – this time, Bran felt as if punched awake. His heart beat out of his chest, sweat covering his brow in spite of the cold.

"Bran!" Theon was by his side. "What is it, what did you see?"

Each deep breath of freezing air seemed to steady him. "The Night King… he's there… somewhere. It was murky, too murky…"

"He cloaks himself." Bran found Melisandre looking down at him, sternness in her gaze… though not directed at him. "The being is a dark one, conjured by the same magic that shattered Dorne it seems." The flames told her too little, but from them and the old legends kept by the High Priests in Volantis allowed her to piece some things together. "If it is you that he is after, then you will struggle to find him."

Hearing the sounds of death around them, Bran sighed. Emotion was hard to come over him these days, but not for the first time did he feel sorrow. That he missed Meera, the one person that knew who he was through all of this.

But he couldn't afford such sentimentality now. "I cannot see past what created him, nor anything after for centuries." The Night King must've blocked it out. "But when he was close last time, the mark on my arm burned… now it doesn't."

Before Melisandre could question him, one of Theon's Ironborn captains bellowed. "They're comin' for the walls!"

Instinctively grabbing an arrow out of his quiver, Theon's blood ran ice cold. Did they break through the ring? "Boys! Get ready to defend yourselves! What is dead may never die!"

"What is dead may never die!"

"Go," Bran whispered to Melisandre.

"What?"

"This will end soon. Go and do what you need."

Nodding, Melisandre dashed for the ladder to the battlements. She scaled them, coming upon a horrible sight. The dead had broken through the wedge between the Northmen of House Manderly and the Unsullied phalanx on the Targaryen left. Each pulled their flank back, defending their line from being enveloped, but it opened a corridor straight for the godswood that the dead took advantage of.

It would be up to the Ironborn to protect Bran, but as the massive blizzard bore upon the defenders of Winterfell, only light could banish the darkness and give them a fighting chance.

Slowly, she closed her eyes and clasped her hands in Valyrian prayer. "Lord, bless us with your flame to banish the night."

Nothing.

She tried again. "Lord, bless us with your flame to banish the night."

Nothing.

"Lord, bless us with your flame to banish the night."

Nothing.

"AAAAAGH!" she screamed in frustration.

And then light.

* * *

In an instant, tens of thousands of swords ignited in one great sheet, the blessings of the Lord of Light granting their power upon the army of the living. From the howling screamers of the great Khalassar, to the frenzied Free Folk berserkers, to the stolid Unsullied phalanx, to the gallant knights of the Vale, all imbued with the fiery flames of the first Battle for the Dawn. Fanning out – their horses blasting through the snowdrifts piled on by the blizzard engulfing Winterfell – Ser Jorah raised the burning Valyrian steel blade of House Tarly and let out a sharp warcry. It spread along the entire line, Dothraki, Northman, and Valeman all as they slammed into the twisting bodies of the blue-eyed corpses. Hacking, chopping, slicing.

"Fuck you!" Swinging hard with her now alight dragonglass blade, Arya stabbed a rather fresh wight in the temple, ice blue twinkle snuffing out instantaneously. With a grunt and a kick, the daughter of Winterfell sent the corpse toppling to the ground. Close to her, her Uncle Benjen managed to destroy a few decayed wights simultaneously with his flaming chain. One wight managed to get close but Benjen destroyed it with a quick swipe of a dragonglass dagger he had.

A flash of red splattered blood across Arya's face, joining the dull red of the dried liquid already soaking her clothes and hair. A young lad, he couldn't be older than Rickon would have been, fell as a skeleton leapt on him, claw-like fingers ripping through his intestines. With a snarl, Arya stabbed forward with her Catspaw dagger, caving in the empty eye sockets of the skeleton. It was too late to save the boy though, his eyes wide and mouth frothing with blood.

"Behind you!" With but a blur of dark grey steel, Arya ducked. Gendry's warhammer disintegrating the face of an undead shadowcat. He was just as caked with blood, some of it his own with a shallow gash above his left eye and one oozing blood from his side. It made Arya want to kiss him, it made Arya want to hurl herself at the wights in a deranged fury of a woman whose love was in danger. "Watch my back!"

"Aye!" Twirling the daggers in her hands, Arya slashed at the legs of another wight, fighting nearly shoulder to shoulder with Gendry.

"AAAAAAAGGGGH!" Flames illuminating his scarred face, Sandor looked almost as demonic as those he was fighting. Larger than even Arya, his claymore swung with wild abandon. "I!" A fresh wight was cleaved in two. "Hate!" Another's arm and shoulder were hacked off. "Fucking!" A skeleton collapsed when he punched it in the face, pulverizing it. "Fire!" The crackling flames upon his sword only fueled his rage, seeking to drown the fire in a sea of destroyed wights.

Burying her dragonglass dagger right into the chest of a former Night's Watchman, all around Arya the sounds of clashing blades and screaming wights drowned out everything else. The Northmen and Wildlings, after retreating nearly to the Winterfell gates, finally advanced along with the Unsullied on the wings. Arrows stabbed through the windswept air, their oil and pitch-soaked arrowheads diving right into the packed mass of thousands. The archers had to try and miss.

Individual acts of heroism abounded. Tormund bellowed like a giant, hacking the front legs off an ice spider before a spearwife stabbed it through the mandibles. As a wight pushed a Mormont man-at-arms onto the blood-soaked ground, young Lyanna Mormont slid over and ran her short sword through its neck. She continued to slash at the onrushing dead… until two Bear Islanders grabbed her by the straps of her cuirass and dragged her back to the safety of their lines while she screamed to be let back in. Grey Worm, bellowing commands in High Valyrian as he thrust his spear into a wight, pulling it back and up as the line crashed into the shield wall. Gritting his teeth, he and his command let the wights push against the line, boots digging deep through the snow and dirt. With a warcry, he led the Unsullied in pushing forward with their shields, staggering the dead and allowing them to thrust again with their shields. Ghost managed to get the jump on more than a few straggling wights, using his razor-sharp canines to tear them to pieces.

Blade burying to the hilt, piercing the padded leather of northern armor, Arya kicked the lifeless wight into writhing mass of the continued charge. "Move! Forward, you cunts!" She advanced several paces, planting her feet in a defiant stand. "Men, with me!" The semicircular ring contracted inward as the Army of the Living pushed the wights back into the center… towards the waiting blades of the horse.

Gendry crushed another skull. "Arry! The trap is closed!"

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Hear that boys! We have em' trapped. Move in for the kill!" As if by magic, the darkness above vanished as the large black dragon swept in, tongue of flame reaching down at the attacking wights and incinerating thousands. Arya swore she could see Dany astride Drogon, the braids of her silver hair having been blown out by the furious wind. "The Dragon Queen is with us!"

"DRAGON QUEEN!" came the furious cry.

But suddenly the already deathly cold landscape grew even colder… the sweat and blood on Arya's brow starting to freeze. A blue far more malevolent than anything they had ever seen twinkled in pairs of eye sockets.

The White Walkers had arrived.

* * *

"Dracarys!"

Eyes turned skywards; the servants of the Night King watched as Drogon assaulted their armies – a weapon of mass devastation sufficient to turn the tide of the entire battle. Aside from a few stirrings of anger, their unhuman expressions were devoid of emotion. _‘We cannot survive this'_.

‘It matters not’. Gripping a broadsword of enchanted ice rather than the spears of the others, one white walker seemed to command the others. _‘You have your tasks, get to them’_.

At once. Most charged towards the frontline, two towards the godswood, while three others moved to places unknown.

That left two, the commander and one other general, to coordinate the attack. He closed his eyes, letting the command breeze through to hundreds of thousands of minds. _‘Kill them all’_.

Jaw snapping shut, the tongue of flame dissipated without the black dragon's stoking, the snow and ice bracketing it without end. Flying low, undead shadowcats and direwolves and sabre-toothed tigers leapt at Drogon's wings. Dany winced as some dug their claws and teeth into his scales. Bank. Bank! A furious wingbeat sent them surging, dislodging all but the most determined of beasts. Drogon roared, a powerful roar that boomed across the landscape. Amber eyes nearly red with the dragon's wroth, he unleashed a torrent of flame onto his wings. Any beast remaining was incinerated.

"Good work, boy!" Dany shouted in High Valyrian, earning a loud trill in response. "Circle around and fire again!" Another trill, Drogon beating his wings as he complied with the command. Fire surging through her blood, Dany looked up at the dark thunderclouds above, lightning crackling within. _‘Hurry Jon, I don't know if I can hold them off by myself’_.

Below, calculating eyes watched the dragon bank around, it's black shape far darker than even the overcast sky. _‘The King wants the dragons for himself’._

The leader of them – the oldest and first of Craster's sons sacrificed to the dark magic of the Children of the Forest – merely cocked his head at the young general. _‘No. He wants the Dragon King for himself. The Queen and her mount are fair game, so do it’._

If the malevolent beings were to have true feelings, this one would have sighed. But expressionless and quiet, he pushed past the snarling, swarming slaves around him. With a mere flick of his hand, a giant bear stopped in its tracks, lowering its head for the Walker to climb atop him. Allowing a perfect line of sight. The tiniest of smirks on his face, he drew the ice spear just as Drogon leveled out from his turn, aiming directly for the center of the army of the dead.

Sitting straighter in between the rows of spines, Daenerys's eyes narrowed. Her lips set in a firm, determined line. The horsemen of the Vale and her own Khalassar were wheeling around and around in a furious caracole, redoubling charges straight into the mass of dead while the less experienced riders mopped up the stragglers. They drove the monsters towards the waiting swords and spears of the defensive ring. Both Jon's northerners and her Unsullied marched steadily, piles of broken corpses left in their wake.

They were on the cusp of victory. Jon had his duty to fight the demon that killed Viserion, and she had her duty as well. A dark smile, one close to madness but nothing unearned by her foes this night, Daenerys gave the command to Drogon. "Dracarys!"

Any human warrior would have been unable to resist breaking at the sight of a massive dragon unleashing red-orange tongues of dragonfire from their maws… but the Walker wasn't human. Not anymore. Wights incinerated around him by the flames, the young general merely raised the spear to his shoulder, blue eyes tracking the Black Dread Reborn before taking aim and letting the javelin fly.

Unlike the Night King, the aim wasn't true. Instead, the spear grazed the side of Drogon's back, but sliced open his scales regardless in a twenty-foot gash. Fire snuffing out, Drogon shrieked. An almost unholy, terrifying sound of pure agony as he jolted suddenly in the air. Nearly stalling, his feet grazed the blackened ground, trying desperately to flee on sheer instinct.

But such didn't take his rider into account – not for the split-second of fear of death. Daenerys gripped his spines tightly, but the jolt was too much. Her hands slipped, and the sudden turn sent the Queen, crying out in fear, toppling to the snow below her.

Straight into the midst of the Army of the Dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The middle chapter of the Battle! I think Longclaw did a great job! The ideas were mine and I made a few additions of my own, but Longclaw did an amazing job executing my ideas! The living are doing a great job, I would say! But it doesn’t end until the Night King falls. And he’s still at large. Because Bran made the transition to the Three-Eyed Raven so quickly he’s not as powerful as he could be. And even if he was, the Night King is much, much more powerful than him so Bran tracking him is next to impossible because the Night King can easily break and bend Bran’s ravens and his visions. And the storm he has created is far too murky for even a raven to fly through easily. Sansa is still neutral. Maybe Missandei managed to talk some sense into her. Or perhaps Sansa is too much like Cersei and Littlefinger. Only wanting more power. And after her marriage with Ramsay, she never wants to feel that helpless again. As you can see, the Walkers will most certainly be playing a huge role in this. After all they and their master were being built up as the most dangerous threats. And unlike Dumb&Dumber in their fake nightmare of a season, I promise to deliver. Dany has fallen off Drogon and is now in the midst of the enemy. That’s not good. She has her Valyrian Steel Sword with her, but she can’t hold them all off on her own.  
I hope you all loved this chapter. I promise Chapter 14 will be out and it won’t take me 6 month to write. Thanks to my good buddy Longclaw, I should have it up and ready in a week or so. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll ask for you guys to help me write it. D&D ruined the show instead of giving it to new showrunners. I won’t do the same with my true ending. Oh, I have a question for you all. Will you guys ever rewatch Game of Thrones? I’ve been doing that with my dad because we bought the whole show in 4K. We are both enjoying it very much. But of course I will never watch the fake season again. In fact I got rid of it from my collection. Will you guys ever rewatch the show? Of course not the fake season but Seasons 1-7 or until whenever the show ends for you guys and then the story ends however you envision it or read it?  
Anyways, thank you all so much for reading! I’m really excited because we are almost to Chapter 15 which is the “big game changing” chapter. I cannot wait to write and share it with you guys! Oh and one last thing. Tomorrow I have another batch of chemotherapy. Wish me luck my dear readers!


	14. The Battle of Winterfell Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of the Battle of Winterfell...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi my dear readers! So sorry it took a month to upload. Chemotherapy continues for me and it’s working! My doctor says I am getting closer to being cured. But now the side-effects of chemo are getting worse. This last week, I had a terrible stomachache and a headache. It was pretty uncomfortable to say the least. But thanks to my good friend Longclaw, this next chapter is ready! This is the final part of the Battle. I left you all with a terrifying cliffhanger last chapter. Well, time to see it all resolved.

"Forward!"  
  
"Hoo! Hoo!"  
  
"Forward!"  
  
"Hoo! Hoo!"  
  
No longer standing on the defensive, the thick blocks of Unsullied hoplites advanced across the blood-coated ground. Their former comrades, bodies carpeting the fields of Winterfell, were stepped over as the now freed slave soldiers thrust their dragonglass-tipped spears into the mass of wights. The monsters growled, the monsters snarled, but the flaming spears made them cringe almost instinctively. Them flinching as if the fires brought them a screeching pain.  
  
They brought no pain, only death as the Unsullied thrust them into the center mass of their inhuman enemies. Leaving them nothing but burnt-out husks of rotted flesh.  
  
Sweat drenching him in spite of the cold, Grey Worm was right alongside his men. Wounds peppered his body, but none were serious. He led by example, for his men, for his love, and for his King and Queen. "Close the jaws! Kill all of them!" he bellowed in High Valyrian, the phalanx on either side of the frontline marching steadily forward.  
  
And so it was everywhere. Each moment found the Army of the Dead thinning out further and further. A seemingly endless supply of burning arrows rained from Winterfell upon the center of the mass, the archers without want of targets and having to try and miss a head or torso of the surprisingly frail corpses. Of the living that now found themselves the attackers in the battle, the horsemen of the rear were the fastest. The Unsullied pincers marched steadily forward through the wights, killing everything in their path. And the slowest but most ferocious were the northmen at the base of the entire battlefield. Before them were the demons that haunted their childhoods. The villains of their nursery tales. They stabbed and hacked and slashed and chopped as if on instinct. Driving away the demons with the fury of hundreds of generations.  
  
Alone among them to be close to the jaws of death itself, Benjen Stark was prepared to fight the beings that nearly killed him before. His sword was gripped tightly in cold hands, both knuckles affixed with dragonglass shards presenting a powerful punch. Kicking at a still fresh wight, the fist buried itself into the grey torso… the light going out in its eyes as the dragonglass embedded into the flesh.  
  
"Who holds the North?!" he bellowed.  
  
"WE DO!" shouted thousands of throats.  
  
Not five paces from him, Benjen's diminutive yet fierce niece fought just as fiercely. Her style more agile but no less as furious. A blur of white passed her, taking down the wight of the latest to challenge her. "Thanks boy," she praised Ghost with a breath, the direwolf ripping off the demon's head before he lashed out with his paws at another. One raised a rusted sword to hack at the wolf, but Arya cut it down.  
  
Beyond the battleline, Daenerys was angling for another attack run. Cheers rang out from the northmen and Free Folk, whatever mistrust of the Dragon Queen still remaining dying in the fires that she rained on the dead to save them. At least until…  
  
Arya knew immediately that something was wrong. Drogon seeming to lurch in midair, the tongue of flame disappearing. His black shape managed to right itself and flap away, but as the fires illuminated his back there wasn't the glint of silver upon it.  
  
She understood quickly. "Daenerys!" Arya acted on instinct, immediately leaping through a gap in the undead, mind so singularly focused as to not catch the white direwolf that followed alongside her – guided by his own urge to protect the Dragon Queen.  
  
"Arya!" yelled Gendry, a snarl leaving his lips as his warhammer cut a wide arc through a half dozen corpses. Pushing hard even though the gap in which Arya and Ghost squeezed through was rapidly filling as more wights made the mad assault right against the jaws of steel surrounding them. "Out of my fucking way!" More wights turned into piles of bones and rotting flesh, yet Gendry didn't make a dent.  
  
Punching a hulking wildling in the face, the shards of dragonglass pulverizing the ice-blue eyes, Benjen grabbed the scruff of Gendry's boiled leather gambeson and pulled him back. "Don't get yourself killed, boy!" barked the man not alive yet not dead, twirling his blade and stabbing forward – cutting down yet another nameless wight.  
  
"She needs me!"  
  
"She can handle herself!" The dragonglass-coated sword chopped down… only to meet a ice-blue staff, the both of them hovering in place against each other.  
  
The cold began to take a new form, the sweat coating their skin from the exertion of the battle beginning to freeze. "The fuck?!" Sandor growled, his Claymore halting in place.  
  
Benjen's face went white as the glowing malevolence of a bare-chested white walker emerged from the sea of rotting corpses. Hands firmly gripping the ice staff as two others parted through the mass as they emerged upon the frontline.  
  
He shook off the surprise. The terror. Gritting his teeth, Benjen pushed back the spear – grounding his feet firmly into the snow. "Come on you fuckers! Winter is here for you!"  
  
The smirks on the faces of the ice monsters were as if they knew they had won already just before they surged forward.

* * *

Worry coursed through Jon as his head swiveled around in the grey darkness. Nothing. Only the mad torrents of wind and snow and ice that covered everything in a freezing deluge. "I know you're here," he murmured to himself… if only for his own benefit. Rage boiled inside him. "Where are you?!"  
  
The blizzard was too large and too sudden not to be the creation of the Night King. It rose high into the sky, almost endless. Only the monster that rode what used to be Viserion could have created this, Jon knew, but he was nowhere to be found. Hiding undoubtedly, but perhaps…  
  
_‘I don't think he's here, kepa.’_  
  
Jon heard Rhaegal. "He has to be here."  
  
Then why hasn't he showed?  
  
He didn't know. _'You know nothing, Jon Snow.' _He was no longer truly Jon Snow, but apparently he still knew nothing.  
  
_"Jon! Help me!"_  
  
His eyes flew open, immediately stinging from the swirling ice but Jon cared not. All that filled his mind was the sudden cry. He didn't hear it, but it came all the same, much as he knew Ghost's thoughts or could converse with Rhaegal or even Drogon. Dany. It was obvious, filling his soul with a greater cold than even a thousand white walkers could.  
  
Rhaegal cried in pain. _‘Muna is in danger!’_ His shriek was overpowering in Jon's mind.  
  
Breathing hard, the freezing air scorching his lungs, Jon looked back at Winterfell – only a dim pulse of light in the distance – to back in the void of the blizzard and then back to Winterfell. The decision weighed on him, continue to search for the Night King in the maelstrom or return to protect Daenerys.  
  
In the end, there was no decision to be made. "Go boy!" he yelled. "To muna!" Rhaegal roared his assent and they were off… wingbeats desperate as Jon gripped hard on his spines. Ignoring whatever pains or stabs of cold were unleashed on him.  
  
Nothing mattered. Nothing was more important to him than the woman he loved.  
  
Love is the death of duty indeed. It was as if Maester Aemon – his uncle Aemon after all – spoke within his head. Only, it was said with pride rather than scolding.  
  
As the clouds around him began to thin at the periphery of the storm, another roar close by drew Jon from his panicked reverie. There was the dark form of Drogon, his cries filled with agony and shame. Just as Jon figured though the image was like a knife to the heart, he was alone. Daenerys was nowhere to find upon the great dragon's back. "Where's Dany?!"  
  
His voice disappeared among the winds, but Drogon heard him nonetheless. ‘_Among them, Kepa. I can't find her.’  
_  
Gripping the spine tightly, Jon leaned over to look down at the battlefield. The living were advancing – slowly but undoubtedly, closing in and massacring the hemmed in corpses. But Daenerys was among the latter, somewhere unknown. Scared and in danger of the worst sort of death. A horrible thought came to Jon. Of Daenerys with blue eyes, mouth open in a shriek as she charged at him, all her humanity replaced by the mindless urge to serve the Night King. Or worse, staring at him with blue eyes filled with the exact same icy cold malevolence of the Night King. As the demon’s Queen.   
  
If dying had been painful, if the icy waters had been painful, if Ygritte's death had been painful, such was the greatest pain.  
  
The order came unbidden. "Dracarys!" He screamed it into the howling wind, knowing both dragons heard him. "Burn them! Burn everything!"  
  
A reply was curt and brief. _‘Yes, kepa.’_

* * *

First thing that registered was the heat. The fire burning all around her, melting snow and blackening the dead grass, it covered Daenerys in a pleasant heat that called out to her unburnt flesh and dragonblood. She blinked, coughing as she pushed up… only for her head to spin. Fuck… what happened?  
  
Faintly in the distance, there was a great sound that echoed in her ears. Of her dragons roaring, of the clash of steel, of a rasping scream that shook the night air. The flickering flames blinked, as if a shadow passed through. A shadow with two glowing blue eyes…  
  
Suddenly her mind cleared with that single revelation. All else being obvious to her. Daenerys' hand shot to her side, finding Dark Sister still encased in its sheath. A split-second was all it took for her to draw the Valyrian steel blade and hack through the half-skeleton that threw itself at her. It fell apart, dismembered by Dany's swing.  
  
A cloud of blue eyes surrounded the Dragon Queen, all watching through the circlet of Drogon's flames that providence seemed to bestow on her – otherwise she'd be truly dead. Taking deep breaths to calm herself, Daenerys' heart nevertheless beat out of her chest. Silently, hair matted onto her forehead from nervous sweat, she dug her feet into the ground. Raised Dark Sister to the ready. Shoulders tense, eyes vigilant.  
  
Daenerys knew why she was here and knew her only chance was to fight. To use the skills Arya taught her to hold out long enough for the battle to be won. For your people… for your House… for Jon…  
  
The first wight screeched, charging at her with an inhuman urge to kill.  
  
Jerking back, Daenerys ducked as a snarling monster swung a rusted sword at her. The blade missed, cutting only the air mixed between the heat of dragonfire and the cold of the night. Daenerys thrust sideways and ran the once human through the middle. The shriek cut off in an anticlimactic puff and it fell limp to the ground.  
  
More wights charged through the flames as they died out, creating more targets for the blade of Visenya Targaryen. Daenerys kept her strikes quick, favoring slashes and quick parries that could easily be shifted from one wight to the other. A cut across the chest of a fresh corpse was twirled and quickly bashed the skull of a skeleton behind her. Dany screamed loudly, crouching as she spun around and felt her blade cut another clean in half.  
  
A sword sliced close to her, enough to pierce her coat and the armor beneath, grazing her skin. She cried in pain, but it only drove Dany's fury higher… gritting her teeth and running the wight through the middle until its eyes extinguished forever.  
  
Out of nowhere a roar turned her blood cold. A massive cave bear was lumbering towards her… one of the few large beasts interspersed among the mass of corpses. It's eyes were as big as wine goblets, ice blue in the midst of dark fur marred with dried blood and black ooze. Maw open and ready to rip Daenerys apart.  
  
"Khaleesi!" Another humanoid form erupted through the rapidly dying flames, but this one was alive. Dany's heart leaped as Jorah Mormont – somehow knocked from his horse and now running on foot – aimed a knight's lance directly for the bear's mouth and let it run itself through. Far larger than an ordinary wight, the beast lasted for several seconds in squealing agony before the dragonglass tip did its magic. Now a massive lump of useless flesh and fur, it collapsed to the ground.  
  
Beheading another wight, Dany rushed to her longest protector. "Jorah! Thank the gods…"  
  
"Don't thank me yet, Khaleesi," he murmured, drawing Heartsbane from its sheath across his back. The greatsword immediately erupted into the flame Lady Melisandre's incantations imbued it with. "Stay beside me."  
  
Suppressing the many questions she had, Daenerys set her jaw tightly, ready for what was to come.  
  
All around them, the battle was close to dying. Their comrade's presence at the frontlines wasn't turning the tide, the great warriors of the living instead slaying them and large clumps of their minions with them. 'This is getting out of hand.'  
  
'Be patient. Our goal is in sight.' Equipped with superhuman senses, one of them picked up the clash of swords not ahead of them or far behind, but much closer. Turning, his neutral expression turned to the tiniest yet darkest of smirks. 'I've found her.'  
  
Grunting, Jorah killed the wight with a massive blow that dismembered it. His second wound to the shoulder stung like hell – unlike the dull pain of the stab in his side – but he recovered. Anything for the Khaleesi. The woman that gave him a purpose again… a woman worth serving, worth loving even if she couldn't love him back. Seeing as she ran through a female wildling with her family's blade, Jorah charged. Punching a wight in the neck and ripping out its throat, he kicked it back into another pair, Heartsbane thrusting through all three of them.  
  
Feeling the air get intensely colder, Dany instinctively knew what was coming from how the flames all extinguished. "Jorah! Walkers!"  
  
He managed to hear her just a split-second before one of the haunting demons stabbed him in the gut, piercing his armor as if it were paper.  
  
"No!" Dany slashed at it with Dark Sister, sending the walker leaping back. A second pair of glowing ice blue eyes burned in the darkness. Two of them.  
  
Jorah felt darkness tinge his vision, but he shook it off… staying upright. "Behind me, Khaleesi."  
  
"We'll take them together…"  
  
"No, stay behind me!" They will not take the Queen. He slowly advanced, keeping his body between the monsters and Dany. They will not!  
  
The walkers paced in a semicircle, dancing with him. Darting in with thrusts to draw Jorah out. Trying to tire him out. Spear thrusting to disorient while the greatsword sliced high to behead them – it was almost comical for this fool to think he had a chance.  
  
But they underestimated him… and the Queen as well. Trained by the best, having fought against the impossible, one of the probing attacks was just too slow for Jorah not to meet it with Heartsbane, the clang of Valyrian steel against ice ringing as the battle was joined. The second walker moved to protect its comrade but the swing of Dany's arm caught the ice spear mid-arc, Dark Sister held in two hands blocking it. The walker tried to escape the hold, but Dany's quick wristwork denied it an opening. Shrieking, the walker leapt back, content on holding her off while its comrade dealt with the knight.  
  
But even the strong warrior of a dozen battles – of conflicts from the Wall to the furthest reaches of Essos, Jorah was but a man. Fatigue affected him while it didn't his enemy, forced to exert himself more and more to overcome the totality of his wounds. Swinging blindly, blood loss and the agonizing pain took its toll on Jorah. Unable to recover as he thrust hard at his opponents, the ice sword swung down and he cried out – severed hands falling atop the snow.  
  
"Jorah!" Dany screamed.  
  
"Khaleesi…" His last words as the walker's thrust struck home, piercing his heart and ending the long, hard life of the Bear Knight at his moment of greatest glory.  
  
Screaming in pure rage and sorrow, Dany charged, Dark Sister meeting the enchanted ice in a furious flurry of slashes and thrusts. She poured her all into the attacks, eyes clouded with a white hot anger at the loss of her longest ally and protector. But it made her vulnerable.  
  
Vulnerable enough for the second walker to kick her in the chest, knocking her to the ground. Violent coughs wracked her body as she tried to get up… only for a slap to the cheek to knock her down again.

_'I believe…'_ Dany's eyes widened in surprise that she could hear the monster speak, even though its mouth didn't move. _'Our master wished you alive… but he can revive you. I want the lightbringer to feel the pain of you dying upon this field, nothing he could ever do having saved you.'_ The walker raised his sword, ready to deal the killing blow.  
  
Dany closed her eyes, raising Dark Sister in an attempt to block the attack – she knew she would fail. Jon… Her last thoughts were of him. My family… my love…  
  
The walker huffed. _'Pathetic. Enjoy the sweet taste of death, Mother of Dragons.'_ So focused were they on mocking Daenerys, they didn't pay attention to behind them.  
  
Out of the darkness, it came heralded at first by the jostling of the corpse of the large cave bear. Any noise drowned out by the sounds of the battle dying around them. Dany, gripping her family's ancestral blade, noticed her first. The shift in the shadows, the loud bellow that emerged from her open mouth. Legs pushing off the frayed fur of the dead beast, Arya screamed her own battlecry with the catspaw dagger raised high.  
  
The second walker didn't notice Arya's charge – not till the Stark warrior was atop him, Valyrian steel sinking deep into his icy flesh. His head turned, contorted and shock and pain before disintegrating into flecks of sleet and ice.  
  
_'What?'_ A moment's hesitation, a moment's shock as the first walker turned to look at the death of his fellow general, such was all it took for a surge of fire to force its way through Daenerys' system. Resolve filling her, she swung Dark Sister with all her might. The Valyrian steel held true as the blade sliced through the legs of the walker. It screamed in a shrill, terrifying agony before joining its other comrades in death.  
  
And all throughout the mass of corpses, tens of thousands collapsed where they stood into piles of flesh and bone. The dark magic that kept them animated long after the souls that once inhabited their bodies departed for the afterlife was gone. Taken away after the walkers that raised them were destroyed.  
  
Fatigue overcoming her, Dany dropped the sword. Had she been standing, her knees would have given way. "Daenerys!" Arya was in front of her in a flash. "Are you hurt… any injuries?"  
  
Blinking, Dany shook her head. "No… Jorah… he took all the blows… meant for me…" It was obvious as to the rest.  
  
Arya understood. The two of them knew loss, knew death – it needed not be said. Wordlessly, they embraced tightly. Arya and Daenerys finding an almost sisterly comfort with the other as the death throes of a titanic clash petered out all around them.  
  
As the flecks of ice that had once been the dreaded demons of every Northern nightmare blew away in the wind.

* * *

One moment, Theon was backed against the weirwood tree. He gripped his dragonglass blade with all his might, one hand on the hilt and the other pressed flat against the obsidian-coated steel – fighting against the inhuman strength of the white walker that burst into the godswood. Arrows thwacked and steel clashed, the Ironborn archers and reavers fighting the walking corpses with a fury that would have won his father's rebellion nearly two decades before.  
  
"Fuck you!" Theon ground out, looking the monster in the eye. Sea green meeting ice blue…  
  
And then it happened. The screams lessened, as did the rasping shrieks of the dead. About half collapsed into heaps of rotted flesh, freeing dozens of Ironborn to attack the rest.  
  
Theon took his chance when the eyes of the monster flickered elsewhere for a split-second. He spat into them, drawing an inhuman yet all too human cry of surprise. Taking advantage, Theon twirled his sword and buried it in the walker's exposed stomach. He watched in satisfaction as the creature dissolved before his eyes and took the rest of the wights with him.

* * *

At first there was but a sudden silence. The ever-present howl of the dead mixing with the various clatter of thousands of bows, swinging swords, galloping hooves, or clinking armor were no longer present – slowly decreasing as the battle went on but rapidly collapsed in the length of a minute, large swaths of the sheet of blue eyes disappearing into darkness. Below, apart from the torches of Winterfell and the jagged wounds of red-orange dragonfire that scarred the plains in which he had ridden and played in his childhood, there was nothing.  
  
A victory.  
  
But was it?  
  
Gliding, circling down towards the landscape, Rhaegal whined lowly. _‘He wasn't here’_. The dragon was distressed, wanting to get revenge on the demon who murdered his beloved brother.  
  
Jon stroked the scales below him, enjoying the heat on his palm. "I know, boy." It was easy talking to the dragon – his dragon. As simple as he talked to Ghost. "Did we miss him in the blizzard?"  
  
_‘I don't think so, kepa’_. Father… he called Jon 'father.' With matters at least somewhat calm right now, such little things hit him. ‘_He made sure we all watched Viserion die… had he been here, we'd have seen him’.  
_  
"Good point." Rhaegal was wise beyond his years. Just like Ghost… or him… or Dany…  
  
Dany…  
  
Just as Rhaegal slowed with furious wingbeats, he heard it. It began as a few but suddenly erupted across the entire battleline. Cheers. Apart from the Unsullied – who nevertheless contributed by banging their spears against their shields – from Dothraki to Vale knight to Northman to Free Folk they cheered. Shouting their defiance to the heavens lest any of the dark spirits forget how they triumphed.  
  
Against tens of thousands of demons, the forces of the living had triumphed before the fields of Winterfell. It was crazed, it was a bit mad, but the warriors deserved it. They deserved this.  
  
As Jon slid down Rhaegal's spines, the cheers now focused on him. "KING IN THE NORTH!"  
  
"WHITE WOLF!"  
  
"KING CROW!"  
  
"KHAL!"  
  
Everyone exulted him, praising him. Any other man would have basked in the attention, but Jon pushed ahead, his mind elsewhere. The once bastard of Winterfell would have shrunk from such praise just as a mindset. Hating attention, drummed into him by the wrath of Catelyn Stark whenever he did better than his brother… of which he did often and could do almost always. But now, for Jaehaerys Targaryen – King of House Targaryen – it wasn't an innate self-loathing. Not the 'bastard armor' as Tyrion put it.  
  
No, this was a man whose mind focused on the one he loved. For ahead of him was Drogon resting on the field just as Rhaegal did. The great dragon's head dipped, as if his attention taken by someone. And Jon knew who that was.  
  
"Your Grace," bowed Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth as he approached. "It was a good night."  
  
"How many lost?" he asked, without looking at them. Only concentrating on where Drogon rested.  
  
Brienne shrugged. "Less than we feared. All units are largely intact."  
  
Jon couldn't completely ignore his command. "Gather the dead and place them in rows. We'll burn them come first light." He would never allow any remaining walkers the chance to reanimate the fallen. Both nodded and darted off to complete their commands.  
  
As Drogon's form grew large, Jon first noticed who else were close by. "King Jon," Gendry Waters said, nodding to him. Sandor Clegane – seated beside the blacksmith bastard – didn't even grunt acknowledgement as he cleaned rotted flesh from his claymore.  
  
Arya was on Gendry's other side, while his uncle Benjen was also close by. "Jon," she murmured, running to him and leaping in his arms. "Thank the gods…"  
  
He let out a gasp that he hadn't known he held. "You're alive… I should always bet on you from now on." It was only half in jest, for there were tears in his eyes regardless. They held each other close, brother and sister still in spite of the change in relation.  
  
Only Jon knew of that – for now at least.  
  
A cold hand clasped his shoulder, Jon looking out to see Benjen smiling sadly at him. "You make them all proud, nephew." Both knew exactly whom Benjen spoke of. "But she needs you."  
  
Immediately his expression went from relieved to horrified. "Is she…"  
  
"She's unharmed, but for a few bruises and scratches. Otherwise…" Benjen winced. "Go to her."  
  
Looking at Arya, she kissed his cheek and let herself drop on the ground. "Do what you need to do… I want my future goodsister well taken care of." They shared a tiny grin before he strode off atop the matted snow towards the center of Drogon's circle.  
  
Jon found her where the dragon had dipped his head. Drogon's snout nudged a trembling figure hunched over… was that a corpse? Amber eyes found him and whined much as Rhaegal did. Jon recognized the dirty blonde hair as he was only a few strides away from her. Jorah…  
  
Light casualties there may have been, but one of them was inexplicably close to his betrothed.  
  
Oh Dany…  
  
She was sobbing, rather loudly in fact. Clutching the chest of the man whom had protected her for so long – often when no one else ever would. A man that advised her, betrayed her, but ended up loyal to her when others instead sold their loyalty for a silver stag. Curled up at her side was Ghost, his white fur covered in blood but otherwise unharmed. He occasionally nuzzled Dany's midsection, whimpering with affection. He and Jon met their gazes. Good boy.  
  
Wordlessly, he knelt beside her, his gloved hand pressing on her spine between her shoulder blades. "I'm sorry, Dany."  
  
She tensed upon feeling his touch, but immediately lessened as his voice hit her ears. Dany turned slowly, looking at him. Her violet eyes glistened with the tears welled inside them, face covered with grime but still utterly beautiful. "Jon," she croaked, sniffling. "He's gone, Jon…"  
  
Without delay, Jon drew her into his arms – an embrace she immediately returned as if desperately. Tightly holding his side. "I know, Dany. I know." He had lost so many as well.  
  
"He loved me, Jon," she cried softly, mourning in her own way. "He loved me and I couldn't reciprocate." Her grip came tighter, as if Daenerys thought she'd lose him to the field of corpses if she let go. "Not like… like…"  
  
"I love you too, Dany. Blood of my blood."  
  
Dany looked at him, lip quivering. "Blood of my blood." Needing it – both of them needing it, from grief and exhaustion and just plain proof that the other lived through the chaos – their lips connected in a tight kiss. Blocked out to the rest of the world as Ghost kept his warm body close while Drogon and Rhaegal surrounded them in a warm cocoon of their bodies and wings. Allowing their muna and kepa a moment of love.

* * *

About to collapse, Theon thought better of it – ignoring the cheers of his men and kneeling beside the sleeping boy… no, not sleeping. His eyes white as they entered the void of the greenseer. "Bran." He shook him gently. "Bran, it's over. We've won."  
  
Suddenly, the eyes flickered – returning to the normal blues that the now youngest Stark held. They were vibrant before, then dull, and finally emotionless as the ancient being of the Three-Eyed Raven took control of his system. But now…  
  
Only sorrow, and fear… and resignation. "No. It's not over, Theon."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He wasn't here. And He’s not close by. It's not over."  
  
All across Winterfell, the sound of cheering and celebration would soon ring hollow.  
  
A battle had been won, but the war was still very much in the balance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so concludes the Battle of Winterfell! Our heroes prevailed! Or did they? Jon knows that as long as the Night King survives, it will never be over. Where is he? You’ll just have to wait to know the answer to that question. Of course no battle is without loss and we have lost our favorite Bear Knight. At least he died bravely, protecting his Queen. No, his Khaleesi. Rest in Peace Ser Jorah of House Mormont, loyal protector and advisor of our beloved Queen Daenerys Targaryen.   
Thank you so, so, so much Longclaw! You did such an amazing job with this chapter! Without you, I don't know how long it would have been before my story could continue.  
I’m sorry that I am going to leave you with some hype but I cannot help myself! Next chapter is the chapter that I have been most excited to write! It’s what I call my big game-changing chapter! It’s big! It’s full of surprises! And full of epicness! In fact, I am going to make it a personal goal of mine to make sure that it is the longest chapter yet! It has to be completely epic! It might take a little while, but I swear to all of you, it will be well worth the wait! I really hope you are all enjoying this story because when I write I am thinking of my readers and desperately hoping that I am pleasing them. Just two questions. Am I treating Jon and Dany as equals? That is one of my biggest goals in this story. And is it cool that the dragons can talk through their bond with Jon and Dany?

**Author's Note:**

> Shoutout to my friend iia_ao3ac! She really inspired me quite a bit. And I was so touched by your gift to me that I wanted to give you a gift too. Also CinnamonBurn. I know you already reviewed on FanFiction but now you are able to view it here too.  
ashleyfanfic and justwanderingnverlost. You are two of the best writers I have ever seen! I know that my story could never match up the masterpieces that you have created but I hope that you enjoy this ending that I have envisioned!


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